Sample records for quantum coherent ancestor

Quantum correlation includes quantum entanglement and quantum discord. Both entanglement and discord have a common necessary condition—quantumcoherence or quantum superposition. In this paper, we attempt to give an alternative understanding of how quantum correlation is related to quantumcoherence. We divide the coherence of a quantum state into several classes and find the complete coincidence between geometric (symmetric and asymmetric) quantum discords and some particular classes of quantumcoherence. We propose a revised measure for total coherence and find that this measure can lead to a symmetric version of geometric quantum correlation, which is analytic for two qubits. In particular, this measure can also arrive at a monogamy equality on the distribution of quantumcoherence. Finally, we also quantify a remaining type of quantumcoherence and find that for two qubits, it is directly connected with quantum nonlocality.

Multiple quantumcoherences provide a powerful approach for studies of complex systems because increasing the number of quantum states in a quantum mechanical superposition state increases the selectivity of a spectroscopic measurement. We show that frequency domain multiple quantumcoherence multidimensional spectroscopy can create these superposition states using different frequency excitation pulses. The superposition state is created using two excitation frequencies to excite the symmetric and asymmetric stretch modes in a rhodium dicarbonyl chelate and the dynamic Stark effect to climb the vibrational ladders involving different overtone and combination band states. A monochromator resolves the free induction decay of different coherences comprising the superposition state. The three spectral dimensions provide the selectivity required to observe 19 different spectral features associated with fully coherent nonlinear processes involving up to 11 interactions with the excitation fields. The different features act as spectroscopic probes of the diagonal and off-diagonal parts of the molecular potential energy hypersurface. This approach can be considered as a coherent pump-probe spectroscopy where the pump is a series of excitation pulses that prepares a multiple quantumcoherence and the probe is another series of pulses that creates the output coherence. PMID:19507812

Recent results in quantum information theory characterize quantumcoherence in the context of resource theories. Here, we study the relation between quantumcoherence and quantum discord, a kind of quantum correlation which appears even in nonentangled states. We prove that the creation of quantum discord with multipartite incoherent operations is bounded by the amount of quantumcoherence consumed in its subsystems during the process. We show how the interplay between quantumcoherence consumption and creation of quantum discord works in the preparation of multipartite quantum correlated states and in the model of deterministic quantum computation with one qubit.

Criteria of measure quantifying quantumcoherence, a unique property of quantum system, are proposed recently. In this paper, we first give an uncertainty-like expression relating the coherence and the entropy of quantum system. This finding allows us to discuss the relations between the entanglement and the coherence. Further, we discuss in detail the relations among the coherence, the discord and the deficit in the bipartite quantum system. We show that, the one-way quantum deficit is equal to the sum between quantum discord and the relative entropy of coherence of measured subsystem. PMID:26094795

Within the unified framework of exploiting the relative entropy as a distance measure of quantum correlations, we make explicit the hierarchical structure of quantumcoherence, quantum discord, and quantum entanglement in multipartite systems. On this basis, we define a basis-independent measure of quantumcoherence and prove that it is exactly equivalent to quantum discord. Furthermore, since the original relative entropy of coherence is a basis-dependent quantity, we investigate the local and nonlocal unitary creation of quantumcoherence, focusing on the two-qubit unitary gates. Intriguingly, our results demonstrate that nonlocal unitary gates do not necessarily outperform the local unitary gates. Finally, the additivity relationship of quantumcoherence in tripartite systems is discussed in detail, where the strong subadditivity of von Neumann entropy plays an essential role.

Quantumcoherence is an essential ingredient in quantum information processing and plays a central role in emergent fields such as nanoscale thermodynamics and quantum biology. However, our understanding and quantitative characterization of coherence as an operational resource are still very limited. Here we show that any degree of coherence with respect to some reference basis can be converted to entanglement via incoherent operations. This finding allows us to define a novel general class of measures of coherence for a quantum system of arbitrary dimension, in terms of the maximum bipartite entanglement that can be generated via incoherent operations applied to the system and an incoherent ancilla. The resulting measures are proven to be valid coherence monotones satisfying all the requirements dictated by the resource theory of quantumcoherence. We demonstrate the usefulness of our approach by proving that the fidelity-based geometric measure of coherence is a full convex coherence monotone, and deriving a closed formula for it on arbitrary single-qubit states. Our work provides a clear quantitative and operational connection between coherence and entanglement, two landmark manifestations of quantum theory and both key enablers for quantum technologies.

Various measures have been suggested recently for quantifying the coherence of a quantum state with respect to a given basis. We first use two of these, the l1-norm and relative entropy measures, to investigate tradeoffs between the coherences of mutually unbiased bases. Results include relations between coherence, uncertainty, and purity; tight general bounds restricting the coherences of mutually unbiased bases; and an exact complementarity relation for qubit coherences. We further define the average coherence of a quantum state. For the l1-norm measure this is related to a natural "coherence radius" for the state and leads to a conjecture for an l2-norm measure of coherence. For relative entropy the average coherence is determined by the difference between the von Neumann entropy and the quantum subentropy of the state and leads to upper bounds for the latter quantity. Finally, we point out that the relative entropy of coherence is a special case of G-asymmetry, which immediately yields several operational interpretations in contexts as diverse as frame alignment, quantum communication, and metrology, and suggests generalizing the property of quantumcoherence to arbitrary groups of physical transformations.

We introduce and study the task of assisted coherence distillation. This task arises naturally in bipartite systems where both parties work together to generate the maximal possible coherence on one of the subsystems. Only incoherent operations are allowed on the target system, while general local quantum operations are permitted on the other; this is an operational paradigm that we call local quantum-incoherent operations and classical communication. We show that the asymptotic rate of assisted coherence distillation for pure states is equal to the coherence of assistance, an analog of the entanglement of assistance, whose properties we characterize. Our findings imply a novel interpretation of the von Neumann entropy: it quantifies the maximum amount of extra quantumcoherence a system can gain when receiving assistance from a collaborative party. Our results are generalized to coherence localization in a multipartite setting and possible applications are discussed. PMID:26943512

We introduce and study the task of assisted coherence distillation. This task arises naturally in bipartite systems where both parties work together to generate the maximal possible coherence on one of the subsystems. Only incoherent operations are allowed on the target system, while general local quantum operations are permitted on the other; this is an operational paradigm that we call local quantum-incoherent operations and classical communication. We show that the asymptotic rate of assisted coherence distillation for pure states is equal to the coherence of assistance, an analog of the entanglement of assistance, whose properties we characterize. Our findings imply a novel interpretation of the von Neumann entropy: it quantifies the maximum amount of extra quantumcoherence a system can gain when receiving assistance from a collaborative party. Our results are generalized to coherence localization in a multipartite setting and possible applications are discussed.

The estimation of the decoherence process of an open quantum system is of both theoretical significance and experimental appealing. Practically, the decoherence can be easily estimated if the coherence evolution satisfies some simple relations. We introduce a framework for studying evolution equation of coherence. Based on this framework, we prove a simple factorization relation (FR) for the l1 norm of coherence, and identified the sets of quantum channels for which this FR holds. By using this FR, we further determine condition on the transformation matrix of the quantum channel which can support permanently freezing of the l1 norm of coherence. We finally reveal the universality of this FR by showing that it holds for many other related coherence and quantum correlation measures.

The estimation of the decoherence process of an open quantum system is of both theoretical significance and experimental appealing. Practically, the decoherence can be easily estimated if the coherence evolution satisfies some simple relations. We introduce a framework for studying evolution equation of coherence. Based on this framework, we prove a simple factorization relation (FR) for the l1 norm of coherence, and identified the sets of quantum channels for which this FR holds. By using this FR, we further determine condition on the transformation matrix of the quantum channel which can support permanently freezing of the l1 norm of coherence. We finally reveal the universality of this FR by showing that it holds for many other related coherence and quantum correlation measures. PMID:27382933

The estimation of the decoherence process of an open quantum system is of both theoretical significance and experimental appealing. Practically, the decoherence can be easily estimated if the coherence evolution satisfies some simple relations. We introduce a framework for studying evolution equation of coherence. Based on this framework, we prove a simple factorization relation (FR) for the l1 norm of coherence, and identified the sets of quantum channels for which this FR holds. By using this FR, we further determine condition on the transformation matrix of the quantum channel which can support permanently freezing of the l1 norm of coherence. We finally reveal the universality of this FR by showing that it holds for many other related coherence and quantum correlation measures. PMID:27382933

Lying at the heart of quantum mechanics, coherence has recently been studied as a key resource in quantum information theory. Quantum steering, a fundamental notion originally considered by Schödinger, has also recently received much attention. When Alice and Bob share a correlated quantum system, Alice can perform a local measurement to ‘steer’ Bob’s reduced state. We introduce the maximal steered coherence as a measure describing the extent to which steering can remotely create coherence; more precisely, we find the maximal coherence of Bob’s steered state in the eigenbasis of his original reduced state, where maximization is performed over all positive-operator valued measurements for Alice. We prove that maximal steered coherence vanishes for quantum-classical states whilst reaching a maximum for pure entangled states with full Schmidt rank. Although invariant under local unitary operations, maximal steered coherence may be increased when Bob performs a channel. For a two-qubit state we find that Bob’s channel can increase maximal steered coherence if and only if it is neither unital nor semi-classical, which coincides with the condition for increasing discord. Our results show that the power of steering for coherence generation, though related to discord, is distinct from existing measures of quantum correlation.

Lying at the heart of quantum mechanics, coherence has recently been studied as a key resource in quantum information theory. Quantum steering, a fundamental notion originally considered by Schödinger, has also recently received much attention. When Alice and Bob share a correlated quantum system, Alice can perform a local measurement to ‘steer’ Bob’s reduced state. We introduce the maximal steered coherence as a measure describing the extent to which steering can remotely create coherence; more precisely, we find the maximal coherence of Bob’s steered state in the eigenbasis of his original reduced state, where maximization is performed over all positive-operator valued measurements for Alice. We prove that maximal steered coherence vanishes for quantum-classical states whilst reaching a maximum for pure entangled states with full Schmidt rank. Although invariant under local unitary operations, maximal steered coherence may be increased when Bob performs a channel. For a two-qubit state we find that Bob’s channel can increase maximal steered coherence if and only if it is neither unital nor semi-classical, which coincides with the condition for increasing discord. Our results show that the power of steering for coherence generation, though related to discord, is distinct from existing measures of quantum correlation. PMID:26781214

A phtotoelectric device consisting of a three-level system contacted with two fermionic baths and a photon bath is built. Making the Born-Markov approximation, the equation of motion for the density operator in a Lindblad-like form is derived. We obtain the coherence and the efficiency of the system under the steady-state condition. Results show that quantumcoherence can enhance the photoelectric conversion efficiency. The efficiency at maximum power can be larger than the CA efficiency bound with the existence of coherence.

Photon impingement is capable of liberating electrons in electronic devices and driving the electron flux from the lower chemical potential to higher chemical potential. Previous studies hinted that the thermodynamic efficiency of a nanosized photoelectric converter at maximum power is bounded by the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency η_{CA}. In this study, we apply quantum effects to design a photoelectric converter based on a three-level quantum dot (QD) interacting with fermionic baths and photons. We show that, by adopting a pair of suitable degenerate states, quantumcoherences induced by the couplings of QDs to sunlight and fermion baths can coexist steadily in nanoelectronic systems. Our analysis indicates that the efficiency at maximum power is no longer limited to η_{CA} through manipulation of carefully controlled quantumcoherences. PMID:27300826

Photon impingement is capable of liberating electrons in electronic devices and driving the electron flux from the lower chemical potential to higher chemical potential. Previous studies hinted that the thermodynamic efficiency of a nanosized photoelectric converter at maximum power is bounded by the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency ηCA. In this study, we apply quantum effects to design a photoelectric converter based on a three-level quantum dot (QD) interacting with fermionic baths and photons. We show that, by adopting a pair of suitable degenerate states, quantumcoherences induced by the couplings of QDs to sunlight and fermion baths can coexist steadily in nanoelectronic systems. Our analysis indicates that the efficiency at maximum power is no longer limited to ηCA through manipulation of carefully controlled quantumcoherences.

We study the connections between local quantumcoherence (LQC) based on Wigner-Yanase skew information and quantum phase transitions (QPTs). When applied on the one-dimensional Hubbard, XY spin chain with three-spin interaction, and Su-Schrieffer-Heeger models, the LQC and its derivatives are used successfully to detect different types of QPTs in these spin and fermionic systems. Furthermore, the LQC is effective as the quantum discord (QD) in detecting QPTs at finite temperatures, where the entanglement has lost its effectiveness. We also demonstrate that the LQC can exhibit different behaviors in many forms compared with the QD. PMID:27193057

We study the connections between local quantumcoherence (LQC) based on Wigner-Yanase skew information and quantum phase transitions (QPTs). When applied on the one-dimensional Hubbard, XY spin chain with three-spin interaction, and Su-Schrieffer-Heeger models, the LQC and its derivatives are used successfully to detect different types of QPTs in these spin and fermionic systems. Furthermore, the LQC is effective as the quantum discord (QD) in detecting QPTs at finite temperatures, where the entanglement has lost its effectiveness. We also demonstrate that the LQC can exhibit different behaviors in many forms compared with the QD.

We study the connections between local quantumcoherence (LQC) based on Wigner-Yanase skew information and quantum phase transitions (QPTs). When applied on the one-dimensional Hubbard, XY spin chain with three-spin interaction, and Su-Schrieffer-Heeger models, the LQC and its derivatives are used successfully to detect different types of QPTs in these spin and fermionic systems. Furthermore, the LQC is effective as the quantum discord (QD) in detecting QPTs at finite temperatures, where the entanglement has lost its effectiveness. We also demonstrate that the LQC can exhibit different behaviors in many forms compared with the QD. PMID:27193057

Coherent states consist of superposition of infinite number of particles and do not have a classical analogue. We study their evolution in a FLRW cosmology and show that only when full quantum corrections are considered, they may survive the expansion of the Universe and form a global condensate. This state of matter can be the origin of accelerating expansion of the Universe, generally called dark energy, and inflation in the early universe. Additionally, such a quantum pool may be the ultimate environment for decoherenceat shorter distances. If dark energy is a quantumcoherent state, its dominant contribution to the total energy of the Universe at present provides a low entropy state which may be necessary as an initial condition for a new Big Bang in the framework of bouncing cosmology models.

The distribution of coherence in multipartite systems is examined. We use a new coherence measure with entropic nature and metric properties, based on the quantum Jensen-Shannon divergence. The metric property allows for the coherence to be decomposed into various contributions, which arise from local and intrinsic coherences. We find that there are trade-off relations between the various contributions of coherence, as a function of parameters of the quantum state. In bipartite systems the coherence resides on individual sites or is distributed among the sites, which contribute in a complementary way. In more complex systems, the characteristics of the coherence can display more subtle changes with respect to the parameters of the quantum state. In the case of the XXZ Heisenberg model, the coherence changes from a monogamous to a polygamous nature. This allows us to define the shareability of coherence, leading to monogamy relations for coherence. PMID:27127948

The distribution of coherence in multipartite systems is examined. We use a new coherence measure with entropic nature and metric properties, based on the quantum Jensen-Shannon divergence. The metric property allows for the coherence to be decomposed into various contributions, which arise from local and intrinsic coherences. We find that there are trade-off relations between the various contributions of coherence, as a function of parameters of the quantum state. In bipartite systems the coherence resides on individual sites or is distributed among the sites, which contribute in a complementary way. In more complex systems, the characteristics of the coherence can display more subtle changes with respect to the parameters of the quantum state. In the case of the X X Z Heisenberg model, the coherence changes from a monogamous to a polygamous nature. This allows us to define the shareability of coherence, leading to monogamy relations for coherence.

Quantumcoherence is the most fundamental feature of quantum mechanics. The usual understanding of it depends on the choice of the basis, that is, the coherence of the same quantum state is different within different reference framework. To reveal all the potential coherence, we present the total quantumcoherence measures in terms of two different methods. One is optimizing maximal basis-dependent coherence with all potential bases considered and the other is quantifying the distance between the state and the incoherent state set. Interestingly, the coherence measures based on relative entropy and l_2 norm have the same form in the two different methods. In particular, we show that the measures based on the non-contractive l_2 norm are also a good measure different from the basis-dependent coherence. In addition, we show that all the measures are analytically calculable and have all the good properties. The experimental schemes for the detection of these coherence measures are also proposed by multiple copies of quantum states instead of reconstructing the full density matrix. By studying one type of quantum probing schemes, we find that both the normalized trace in the scheme of deterministic quantum computation with one qubit and the overlap of two states in quantum overlap measurement schemes can be well described by the change of total coherence of the probing qubit. Hence the nontrivial probing always leads to the change of the total coherence.

The coherent bit (cobit) channel is a resource intermediate between classical and quantum communication. It produces coherent versions of teleportation and superdense coding. We extend the cobit channel to continuous variables by providing a definition of the coherent nat (conat) channel. We construct several coherent protocols that use both a position-quadrature and a momentum-quadrature conat channel with finite squeezing. Finally, we show that the quality of squeezing diminishes through successive compositions of coherent teleportation and superdense coding.

This talk addresses some recent work aimed at controlling the low-lying electrodynamics of quantum solids using strong field transients. The excitation of selected vibrational resonances to manipulate the many-body physics of one dimensional Mott Hubbard Insulators and to perturb competing orders in High-Tc superconductors is also covered. Finally, the speaker shows how the electrodynamics of layered superconductors can be driven through the orderparameter phase gradient, demonstrating ultrafast transistor action in a layered superconductor. Advances in the use of coherent optics, from tabletop sources to THz and x-ray free-electron lasers are also discussed.

Quantum state discrimination is a central task for quantum information and is a fundamental problem in quantum mechanics. Nonorthogonal states, such as coherent states which have intrinsic quantum noise, cannot be discriminated with total certainty because of their intrinsic overlap. This nonorthogonality is at the heart of quantum key distribution for ensuring absolute secure communications between a transmitter and a receiver, and can enable many quantum information protocols based on coherent states. At the same time, while coherent states are used for communications because of their robustness to loss and simplicity of generation and detection, their nonorthogonality inherently produces errors in the process of decoding the information. The minimum error probability in the discrimination of nonorthogonal coherent states measured by an ideal lossless and noiseless conventional receiver is given by the standard quantum limit (SQL). This limit sets strict bounds on the ultimate performance of coherent communications and many coherent-state-based quantum information protocols. However, measurement strategies based on the quantum properties of these states can allow for better measurements that surpass the SQL and approach the ultimate measurement limits allowed by quantum mechanics. These measurement strategies can allow for optimally extracting information encoded in these states for coherent and quantum communications. We present the demonstration of a receiver based on adaptive measurements and single-photon counting that unconditionally discriminates multiple nonorthogonal coherent states below the SQL. We also discuss the potential of photon-number-resolving detection to provide robustness and high sensitivity under realistic conditions for an adaptive coherent receiver with detectors with finite photon-number resolution.

Cosmic inflation is commonly assumed to be driven by quantum fields. Quantum mechanics predicts phenomena such as quantum fluctuations and tunneling of the field. Here, we show an example of a quantum interference effect which goes beyond the semiclassical treatment and which may be of relevance in the early Universe. We study the quantumcoherent dynamics for a tilted, periodic potential, which results in genuine quantum oscillations of the inflaton field, analogous to Bloch oscillations in condensed matter and atomic systems. The underlying quantum superpositions are typically very fragile but may persist in the early Universe giving rise to quantum interference phenomena in cosmology.

Coleman has argued that if wormhole solutions to the Euclidean action coupled to matter dominate the Euclidean path integral for quantum gravity, they do not lead to a loss of quantumcoherence for wave functions in our Universe. Furthermore, they also lead to the prediction that the ultimate'' cosmological constant is zero. I analyze the assumptions that go into this result and argue that the presence of wormhole solutions does lead to a loss of quantumcoherence and, furthermore, completely destroys the Euclidean quantum theory by producing a highly nonlocal effective Euclidean action which is violently unbounded from below.

We introduce the concepts of cohering and decohering power of quantum channels. Using the axiomatic definition of the coherence measure, we show that the optimization required for calculations of these measures can be restricted to pure input states and hence greatly simplified. We then use two examples of this measure, one based on the skew information and the other based on the l1 norm; we find the cohering and decohering measures of a number of one-, two-, and n -qubit channels. Contrary to the view at first glance, it is seen that quantum channels can have cohering power. It is also shown that a specific property of a qubit unitary map is that it has equal cohering and decohering power in any basis. Finally, we derive simple relations between cohering and decohering powers of unitary qubit gates and their tensor products, results which have physically interesting implications.

We report a new kind of experiment in which we take an array of nanoscale apertures that form a superfluid {sup 4}He Josephson junction and apply quantum phase gradients directly along the array. We observe collective coherent behaviors from aperture elements, leading to quantum interference. Connections to superconducting and Bose-Einstein condensate Josephson junctions as well as phase coherence among the superfluid aperture array are discussed.

We demonstrate a sequence of two quantum teleportations of optical coherent states, combining two high-fidelity teleporters for continuous variables. In our experiment, the individual teleportation fidelities are evaluated as F{sub 1}=0.70{+-}0.02 and F{sub 2}=0.75{+-}0.02, while the fidelity between the input and the sequentially teleported states is determined as F{sup (2)}=0.57{+-}0.02. This still exceeds the optimal fidelity of one half for classical teleportation of arbitrary coherent states and almost attains the value of the first (unsequential) quantum teleportation experiment with optical coherent states.

Quantumcoherence is proclaimed to promote efficient energy collection by light-harvesting complexes and prototype organic photovoltaics. However, supporting spectroscopic studies are hindered by the problem of distinguishing between the excited state and ground state origin of coherent spectral transients. Coherence amplitude maps, which systematically represent quantum beats observable in two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy, are currently the prevalent tool for making this distinction. In this article, we present coherence amplitude maps of a molecular dimer, which have become significantly distorted as a result of the finite laser bandwidth used to record the 2D spectra. We argue that under standard spectroscopic conditions similar distortions are to be expected for compounds absorbing over a spectral range similar to, or exceeding, that of the dimer. These include virtually all photovoltaic polymers and certain photosynthetic complexes. With the distortion of coherence amplitude maps, alternative ways to identify quantumcoherence are called for. Here, we use numerical simulations that reproduce the essential photophysics of the dimer to unambiguously determine the excited state origin of prominent quantum beats observed in the 2D spectral measurements. This approach is proposed as a dependable method for coherence identification. PMID:26558888

Understanding the resource consumption in distributed scenarios is one of the main goals of quantum information theory. A prominent example for such a scenario is the task of quantum state merging, where two parties aim to merge their tripartite quantum state parts. In standard quantum state merging, entanglement is considered to be an expensive resource, while local quantum operations can be performed at no additional cost. However, recent developments show that some local operations could be more expensive than others: it is reasonable to distinguish between local incoherent operations and local operations which can create coherence. This idea leads us to the task of incoherent quantum state merging, where one of the parties has free access to local incoherent operations only. In this case the resources of the process are quantified by pairs of entanglement and coherence. Here, we develop tools for studying this process and apply them to several relevant scenarios. While quantum state merging can lead to a gain of entanglement, our results imply that no merging procedure can gain entanglement and coherence at the same time. We also provide a general lower bound on the entanglement-coherence sum and show that the bound is tight for all pure states. Our results also lead to an incoherent version of Schumacher compression: in this case the compression rate is equal to the von Neumann entropy of the diagonal elements of the corresponding quantum state. PMID:27367369

Understanding the resource consumption in distributed scenarios is one of the main goals of quantum information theory. A prominent example for such a scenario is the task of quantum state merging, where two parties aim to merge their tripartite quantum state parts. In standard quantum state merging, entanglement is considered to be an expensive resource, while local quantum operations can be performed at no additional cost. However, recent developments show that some local operations could be more expensive than others: it is reasonable to distinguish between local incoherent operations and local operations which can create coherence. This idea leads us to the task of incoherent quantum state merging, where one of the parties has free access to local incoherent operations only. In this case the resources of the process are quantified by pairs of entanglement and coherence. Here, we develop tools for studying this process and apply them to several relevant scenarios. While quantum state merging can lead to a gain of entanglement, our results imply that no merging procedure can gain entanglement and coherence at the same time. We also provide a general lower bound on the entanglement-coherence sum and show that the bound is tight for all pure states. Our results also lead to an incoherent version of Schumacher compression: in this case the compression rate is equal to the von Neumann entropy of the diagonal elements of the corresponding quantum state.

We consider physical situations where the resource theories of coherence and thermodynamics play competing roles. In particular, we study the creation of quantumcoherence using unitary operations with limited thermodynamic resources. We find the maximal coherence that can be created under unitary operations starting from a thermal state and find explicitly the unitary transformation that creates the maximal coherence. Since coherence is created by unitary operations starting from a thermal state, it requires some amount of energy. This motivates us to explore the trade-off between the amount of coherence that can be created and the energy cost of the unitary process. We also find the maximal achievable coherence under the constraint on the available energy. Additionally, we compare the maximal coherence and the maximal total correlation that can be created under unitary transformations with the same available energy at our disposal. We find that when maximal coherence is created with limited energy, the total correlation created in the process is upper bounded by the maximal coherence, and vice versa. For two-qubit systems we show that no unitary transformation exists that creates the maximal coherence and maximal total correlation simultaneously with a limited energy cost.

The response of an arbitrary closed quantum system to a partially coherent electric field is investigated, with a focus on the transient coherences in the system. As a model we examine, both perturbatively and numerically, the coherences induced in a three level V system. Both rapid turn-on and pulsed turn-on effects are investigated. The effect of a long and incoherent pulse is also considered, demonstrating that during the pulse the system shows a coherent response which reduces after the pulse is over. Both the pulsed scenario and the thermally broadened CW case approach a mixed state in the long time limit, with rates dictated by the adjacent level spacings and the coherence time of the light, and via a mechanism that is distinctly different from traditional decoherence. These two excitation scenarios are also explored for a minimal “toy” model of the electronic levels in pigment protein complex PC645 by both a collisionally broadened CW laser and by a noisy pulse, where unexpectedly long transient coherence times are observed and explained. The significance of environmentally induced decoherence is noted.

In this paper, we describe a new and fully coherent stochastic surface hopping method for simulating mixed quantum-classical systems. We illustrate the approach on the simple but unforgiving problem of quantum evolution of a two-state quantum system in the limit of unperturbed pure state dynamics and for dissipative evolution in the presence of both stationary and nonstationary random environments. We formulate our approach in the Liouville representation and describe the density matrix elements by ensembles of trajectories. Population dynamics are represented by stochastic surface hops for trajectories representing diagonal density matrix elements. These are combined with an unconventional coherent stochastic hopping algorithm for trajectories representing off-diagonal quantumcoherences. The latter generalizes the binary (0,1) “probability” of a trajectory to be associated with a given state to allow integers that can be negative or greater than unity in magnitude. Unlike existing surface hopping methods, the dynamics of the ensembles are fully entangled, correctly capturing the coherent and nonlocal structure of quantum mechanics.

In this paper, we describe a new and fully coherent stochastic surface hopping method for simulating mixed quantum-classical systems. We illustrate the approach on the simple but unforgiving problem of quantum evolution of a two-state quantum system in the limit of unperturbed pure state dynamics and for dissipative evolution in the presence of both stationary and nonstationary random environments. We formulate our approach in the Liouville representation and describe the density matrix elements by ensembles of trajectories. Population dynamics are represented by stochastic surface hops for trajectories representing diagonal density matrix elements. These are combined with an unconventional coherent stochastic hopping algorithm for trajectories representing off-diagonal quantumcoherences. The latter generalizes the binary (0,1) "probability" of a trajectory to be associated with a given state to allow integers that can be negative or greater than unity in magnitude. Unlike existing surface hopping methods, the dynamics of the ensembles are fully entangled, correctly capturing the coherent and nonlocal structure of quantum mechanics.

Based on the theory of quantum mechanics, intrinsic randomness in measurement distinguishes quantum effects from classical ones. From the perspective of states, this quantum feature can be summarized as coherence or superposition in a specific (classical) computational basis. Recently, by regarding coherence as a physical resource, Baumgratz et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 140401 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.140401] presented a comprehensive framework for coherence measures. Here, we propose a quantumcoherence measure essentially using the intrinsic randomness of measurement. The proposed coherence measure provides an answer to the open question in completing the resource theory of coherence. Meanwhile, we show that the coherence distillation process can be treated as quantum extraction, which can be regarded as an equivalent process of classical random number extraction. From this viewpoint, the proposed coherence measure also clarifies the operational aspect of quantumcoherence. Finally, our results indicate a strong similarity between two types of quantumness—coherence and entanglement.

The coherent evolution of two qubits mediated by a set of bosonic field modes is investigated. By assuming a specific asymmetric encoding of the quantum states in the internal levels of the qubits, we show that entangling quantum gates can be realized, with high fidelity, even when a large number of mediating modes is involved. The effect of losses and imperfections on the gates' operation is also considered in detail.

Quantifying coherence is an essential endeavor for both quantum foundations and quantum technologies. Here, the robustness of coherence is defined and proven to be a full monotone in the context of the recently introduced resource theories of quantumcoherence. The measure is shown to be observable, as it can be recast as the expectation value of a coherence witness operator for any quantum state. The robustness of coherence is evaluated analytically on relevant classes of states, and an efficient semidefinite program that computes it on general states is given. An operational interpretation is finally provided: the robustness of coherence quantifies the advantage enabled by a quantum state in a phase discrimination task.

The potential for implementing quantumcoherence in semiconductor self-assembled quantum dots has been investigated theoretically and experimentally. Theoretical modeling suggests that coherent dynamics should be possible in self-assembled quantum dots. Our experimental efforts have optimized InGaAs and InAs self-assembled quantum dots on GaAs for demonstrating coherent phenomena. Optical investigations have indicated the appropriate geometries for observing quantumcoherence and the type of experiments for observing quantumcoherence have been outlined. The optical investigation targeted electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in order to demonstrate an all optical delay line.

Coherent dynamics of two, three, and four-level quantum systems, simultaneously driven by concurrent laser pulses of arbitrary and different forms, is treated by using a nonperturbative, group-theoretical approach. The respective evolution matrices are calculated in an explicit form. General aspects of controllability of few-level atoms by using laser fields are treated analytically.

Thermal operations are an operational model of non-equilibrium quantum thermodynamics. In the absence of coherence between energy levels, exact state transition conditions under thermal operations are known in terms of a mathematical relation called thermo-majorization. But incorporating coherence has turned out to be challenging, even under the relatively tractable model wherein all Gibbs state-preserving quantum channels are included. Here we find a mathematical generalization of thermal operations at low temperatures, ‘cooling maps', for which we derive the necessary and sufficient state transition condition. Cooling maps that saturate recently discovered bounds on coherence transfer are realizable as thermal operations, motivating us to conjecture that all cooling maps are thermal operations. Cooling maps, though a less-conservative generalization to thermal operations, are more tractable than Gibbs-preserving operations, suggesting that cooling map-like models at general temperatures could be of use in gaining insight about thermal operations. PMID:26138621

Thermodynamics is a highly successful macroscopic theory widely used across the natural sciences and for the construction of everyday devices, from car engines to solar cells. With thermodynamics predating quantum theory, research now aims to uncover the thermodynamic laws that govern finite size systems which may in addition host quantum effects. Recent theoretical breakthroughs include the characterisation of the efficiency of quantum thermal engines, the extension of classical non-equilibrium fluctuation theorems to the quantum regime and a new thermodynamic resource theory has led to the discovery of a set of second laws for finite size systems. These results have substantially advanced our understanding of nanoscale thermodynamics, however putting a finger on what is genuinely quantum in quantum thermodynamics has remained a challenge. Here we identify information processing tasks, the so-called projections, that can only be formulated within the framework of quantum mechanics. We show that the physical realisation of such projections can come with a non-trivial thermodynamic work only for quantum states with coherences. This contrasts with information erasure, first investigated by Landauer, for which a thermodynamic work cost applies for classical and quantum erasure alike. Repercussions on quantum work fluctuation relations and thermodynamic single-shot approaches are also discussed. PMID:26916503

Thermodynamics is a highly successful macroscopic theory widely used across the natural sciences and for the construction of everyday devices, from car engines to solar cells. With thermodynamics predating quantum theory, research now aims to uncover the thermodynamic laws that govern finite size systems which may in addition host quantum effects. Recent theoretical breakthroughs include the characterisation of the efficiency of quantum thermal engines, the extension of classical non-equilibrium fluctuation theorems to the quantum regime and a new thermodynamic resource theory has led to the discovery of a set of second laws for finite size systems. These results have substantially advanced our understanding of nanoscale thermodynamics, however putting a finger on what is genuinely quantum in quantum thermodynamics has remained a challenge. Here we identify information processing tasks, the so-called projections, that can only be formulated within the framework of quantum mechanics. We show that the physical realisation of such projections can come with a non-trivial thermodynamic work only for quantum states with coherences. This contrasts with information erasure, first investigated by Landauer, for which a thermodynamic work cost applies for classical and quantum erasure alike. Repercussions on quantum work fluctuation relations and thermodynamic single-shot approaches are also discussed. PMID:26916503

Thermodynamics is a highly successful macroscopic theory widely used across the natural sciences and for the construction of everyday devices, from car engines to solar cells. With thermodynamics predating quantum theory, research now aims to uncover the thermodynamic laws that govern finite size systems which may in addition host quantum effects. Recent theoretical breakthroughs include the characterisation of the efficiency of quantum thermal engines, the extension of classical non-equilibrium fluctuation theorems to the quantum regime and a new thermodynamic resource theory has led to the discovery of a set of second laws for finite size systems. These results have substantially advanced our understanding of nanoscale thermodynamics, however putting a finger on what is genuinely quantum in quantum thermodynamics has remained a challenge. Here we identify information processing tasks, the so-called projections, that can only be formulated within the framework of quantum mechanics. We show that the physical realisation of such projections can come with a non-trivial thermodynamic work only for quantum states with coherences. This contrasts with information erasure, first investigated by Landauer, for which a thermodynamic work cost applies for classical and quantum erasure alike. Repercussions on quantum work fluctuation relations and thermodynamic single-shot approaches are also discussed.

We consider the quantum measurements on a finite quantum system in coherence-vector representation. In this representation, all the density operators of an N-level ( N ⩾ 2) quantum system constitute a convex set M (N) embedded in an ( N 2 - 1)-dimensional Euclidean space R^{N^2 - 1}, and we find that an orthogonal measurement is an ( N - 1)-dimensional projector operator on R^{N^2 - 1}. The states unchanged by an orthogonal measurement form an ( N - 1)-dimensional simplex, and in the case when N is prime or power of prime, the space of the density operator is a direct sum of ( N + 1) such simplices. The mathematical description of quantum measurement is plain in this representation, and this may have further applications in quantum information processing.

Homogeneity and correlations in the observed CMB are indicative of some form of cosmological coherence in early times. Quantumcoherence in the early universe would be expected to give space-like phase coherence to any effects sourced to those times. If dark energy de-coherence is assumed to occur when the rate of expansion of the relevant cosmological scale parameter in the Friedmann-Lemaitre equations is no longer supra-luminal, a critical energy density is immediately defined. It is shown that the general class of dynamical models so defined necessarily requires a spatially flat cosmology in order to be consistent with observed structure formation. The basic assumption is that the dark energy density which is fixed during de-coherence is to be identified with the cosmological constant. It is shown for the entire class of models that the expected amplitude of fluctuations driven by the dark energy de-coherence process is of the order needed to evolve into the fluctuations observed in cosmic microwave background radiation and galactic clustering. The densities involved during de-coherence which correspond to the measured dark energy density turn out to be of the electroweak symmetry restoration scale. In an inflationary cosmology, this choice of the scale parameter in the FL equations directly relates the scale of dark energy decoherence to the De Sitter scales (associated with the positive cosmological constants) at both early and late times.

We compare a trade-off between knowledge and decoherence for the incoherent and coherent partial sequential compatible measurements on single-qubit systems. The individual partial measurement nondestructively monitors basis states of the system by single-qubit meter. For the same decoherence caused by this unbiased measurement, the individual coherent measurement gives more knowledge than the incoherent one. For identical sequential coherent measurements, knowledge accumulated not additively increases more slowly than for the incoherent measurements. The overall knowledge can be accumulated using an adaptive measurement strategy on the meters if the single-qubit coherence of meters is kept. On the other hand, preservation of the mutual qubit coherence between the meters necessary for the collective measurement strategy is not required. A loss of single-qubit coherence degrades the coherent measurements back to the incoherent ones. Since the decoherence caused by the measurement process is a quadratic function of knowledge extracted by the individual measurement, Zeno-like behavior can be observed for repetitive weak compatible measurements. This unconditional universal effect does not depend on any dynamics of the qubit and it is a direct consequence of optimally controlled sequential evolution of quantum information.

Various calculations of the S matrix have shown that it seems to be nonunitary for interacting fields when there are closed timelike curves. It is argued that this is because there is loss of quantumcoherence caused by the fact that part of the quantum state circulates on the closed timelike curves and is not measured at infinity. A prescription is given for calculating the superscattering matrix on spacetimes whose parameters can be analytically continued to obtain a Euclidean metric. It is illustrated by a discussion of a spacetime in which two disks in flat space are indentified. If the disks have an imaginary time separation, this corresponds to a heat bath. An external field interacting with the heat bath will lose quantumcoherence. One can then analytically continue to an almost real separation of the disks. This will give closed timelike curves but one will still get loss of quantumcoherence. A comparison is made with the work of authors who find a nonunitary S matrix. It is shown that this is because the does not factor into an S matrix and its adjoint when the spacetime does not have the property of asymptotic completeness.

The quantum interference between the two parts of the optical Schrodinger-cat state makes possible to construct a wide class of quantum states via discrete superpositions of coherent states. Even a small number of coherent states can approximate the given quantum states at a high accuracy when the distance between the coherent states is optimized, e. g. nearly perfect Fock state can be constructed by discrete superpositions of n + 1 coherent states lying in the vicinity of the vacuum state.

Quantumcoherence is a fundamental common trait of quantum phenomena, from the interference of matter waves to quantum degeneracy of identical particles. Despite its importance, estimating and measuring quantumcoherence in generic, mixed many-body quantum states remains a formidable challenge, with fundamental implications in areas as broad as quantum condensed matter, quantum information, quantum metrology, and quantum biology. Here, we provide a quantitative definition of the variance of quantumcoherent fluctuations (the quantum variance) of any observable on generic quantum states. The quantum variance generalizes the concept of thermal de Broglie wavelength (for the position of a free quantum particle) to the space of eigenvalues of any observable, quantifying the degree of coherent delocalization in that space. The quantum variance is generically measurable and computable as the difference between the static fluctuations and the static susceptibility of the observable; despite its simplicity, it is found to provide a tight lower bound to most widely accepted estimators of "quantumness" of observables (both as a feature as well as a resource), such as the Wigner-Yanase skew information and the quantum Fisher information. When considering bipartite fluctuations in an extended quantum system, the quantum variance expresses genuine quantum correlations among the two parts. In the case of many-body systems, it is found to obey an area law at finite temperature, extending therefore area laws of entanglement and quantum fluctuations of pure states to the mixed-state context. Hence the quantum variance paves the way to the measurement of macroscopic quantumcoherence and quantum correlations in most complex quantum systems.

Quantum computers are predicted to outperform classical computers in certain tasks, such as factoring large numbers and searching databases. The construction of a computer whose operation is based on the principles of quantum mechanics appears extremely challenging. Solid state approaches offer the potential to answer this challenge by tailor-making novel nanomaterials for quantum information processing (QIP). Molecular magnets, which are materials whose energy levels and magnetic quantum states are well defined at the molecular level, have been identified as a class of material with properties that make them attractive for quantum computing purpose. In this dissertation, I explore the possibilities and challenges for molecular magnets to be used in quantum computing architecture. The properties of molecular magnets that are critical for applications in quantum computing, i.e., quantum entanglement and coherence, are comprehensively investigated to probe the feasibility of molecular magnets to be used as quantum bits (qubits). Interactions of qubits with photons are at the core of QIP. Photons can be used to detect and manipulate qubits, after which information can then be transferred over long distances. As a potential candidate for qubits, the interactions between Fe8 single-molecule magnets (SMMs) and cavity photons were studied. An earlier report described that a cavity mode splitting was observed in a spectrum of a cavity filled with a single-crystal of Fe8 SMMs. This splitting was interpreted as a vacuum Rabi splitting (VRS), which is a signature of an entanglement between a large number of SMMs and a cavity photon. However, find that large absorption and dispersion of the magnetic susceptibility are the reasons for this splitting. This finding highlights the fact that an observation of a peak splitting in a cavity transmission spectrum neither represents an unambiguous indication of quantumcoherence in a large number of spins, nor a signature of

We study the dynamics of quantumcoherence under Unruh thermal noise and seek under which condition the coherence can be frozen in a relativistic setting. We find that the frozen condition is either (i) the initial state is prepared as an incoherence state or (ii) the detectors have no interaction with the external field. That is to say, the decoherence of the detectors' quantum state is irreversible under the influence of thermal noise induced by Unruh radiation. It is shown that quantumcoherence approaches zero only in the limit of an infinite acceleration, while quantum entanglement could reduce to zero for a finite acceleration. It is also demonstrated that the robustness of quantumcoherence is better than entanglement under the influence of the atom-field interaction for an extremely large acceleration. Therefore, quantumcoherence is more robust than entanglement in an accelerating system and the coherence-type quantum resources are more accessible for relativistic quantum information processing tasks.

We study the effect of dephasing on the coherent dissociation dynamics of an atom-molecule Bose-Einstein condensate. We show that when phase-noise intensity is strong with respect to the inverse correlation time of the stimulated process, dissociation is suppressed via a Bose enhanced quantum Zeno effect. This is complementary to the quantum Zeno control of phase-diffusion in a bimodal condensate by symmetric noise [Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 220403 (2008)] in that the controlled process here is phase formation and the required decoherence mechanism for its suppression is purely phase noise.

Significant advances in coherence render superconducting quantum circuits a viable platform for fault-tolerant quantum computing. To further extend capabilities, highly coherentquantum systems could act as quantum memories for these circuits. A useful quantum memory must be rapidly addressable by Josephson-junction-based artificial atoms, while maintaining superior coherence. We demonstrate a superconducting microwave cavity architecture that is highly robust against major sources of loss that are encountered in the engineering of circuit QED systems. The architecture allows for storage of quantum superpositions in a resonator on the millisecond scale, while strong coupling between the resonator and a transmon qubit enables control, encoding, and readout at MHz rates. This extends the maximum available coherence time attainable in superconducting circuits by almost an order of magnitude compared to earlier hardware. Our design is an ideal platform for studying coherentquantum optics and marks an important step towards hardware-efficient quantum computing in Josephson-junction-based quantum circuits.

Intrinsic quantum correlations of weak coherent states are observed between two parties through a novel detection scheme, which can be used as a supplement to the existence decoy-state Bennett-Brassard 1984 protocol and the differential phase-shift quantum key distribution (DPS-QKD) protocol. In a proof-of-principle experiment, we generate bipartite correlations of weak coherent states using weak local oscillator fields in two spatially separated balanced homodyne detections. We employ a nonlinearity of postmeasurement method to obtain the bipartite correlations from two single-field interferences at individual homodyne measurements. This scheme is then used to demonstrate bits correlations between two parties over a distance of 10 km through a transmission fiber. We believe that the scheme can add another physical layer of security to these protocols for quantum key distribution.

The resource theory of asymmetry is a framework for classifying and quantifying the symmetry-breaking properties of both states and operations relative to a given symmetry. In the special case where the symmetry is the set of translations generated by a fixed observable, asymmetry can be interpreted as coherence relative to the observable eigenbasis, and the resource theory of asymmetry provides a framework to study this notion of coherence. We here show that this notion of coherence naturally arises in the context of quantum speed limits. Indeed, the very concept of speed of evolution, i.e., the inverse of the minimum time it takes the system to evolve to another (partially) distinguishable state, is a measure of asymmetry relative to the time translations generated by the system Hamiltonian. Furthermore, the celebrated Mandelstam-Tamm and Margolus-Levitin speed limits can be interpreted as upper bounds on this measure of asymmetry by functions which are themselves measures of asymmetry in the special case of pure states. Using measures of asymmetry that are not restricted to pure states, such as the Wigner-Yanase skew information, we obtain extensions of the Mandelstam-Tamm bound which are significantly tighter in the case of mixed states. We also clarify some confusions in the literature about coherence and asymmetry, and show that measures of coherence are a proper subset of measures of asymmetry.

Quantumcoherence is one of the primary non-classical features of quantum systems. While protocols such as the Leggett-Garg inequality (LGI) and quantum tomography can be used to test for the existence of quantumcoherence and dynamics in a given system, unambiguously detecting inherent “quantumness” still faces serious obstacles in terms of experimental feasibility and efficiency, particularly in complex systems. Here we introduce two “quantum witnesses” to efficiently verify quantumcoherence and dynamics in the time domain, without the expense and burden of non-invasive measurements or full tomographic processes. Using several physical examples, including quantum transport in solid-state nanostructures and in biological organisms, we show that these quantum witnesses are robust and have a much finer resolution in their detection window than the LGI has. These robust quantum indicators may assist in reducing the experimental overhead in unambiguously verifying quantumcoherence in complex systems. PMID:23185690

Quantumcoherence is the key resource for quantum technology, with applications in quantum optics, information processing, metrology, and cryptography. Yet, there is no universally efficient method for quantifying coherence either in theoretical or in experimental practice. I introduce a framework for measuring quantumcoherence in finite dimensional systems. I define a theoretical measure which satisfies the reliability criteria established in the context of quantum resource theories. Then, I present an experimental scheme implementable with current technology which evaluates the quantumcoherence of an unknown state of a d-dimensional system by performing two programmable measurements on an ancillary qubit, in place of the O(d2) direct measurements required by full state reconstruction. The result yields a benchmark for monitoring quantum effects in complex systems, e.g., certifying nonclassicality in quantum protocols and probing the quantum behavior of biological complexes. PMID:25379903

We report on the development of a coherentquantum cascade laser array that consists in the fabrication of multi-stripes array. The main characteristic of this kind of source is that an anti-symmetrical signature with two lobes is obtained in the far field. Taking advantage of this drawback, a grating is aligned with one lobe of the source. Thus a Littrow configuration is designed that permit to obtain a wide tunability of the source. First results are presented and a preliminary test of the source is realized by measurements on acetone.

Quantifying coherence is an essential endeavor for both quantum foundations and quantum technologies. Here, the robustness of coherence is defined and proven to be a full monotone in the context of the recently introduced resource theories of quantumcoherence. The measure is shown to be observable, as it can be recast as the expectation value of a coherence witness operator for any quantum state. The robustness of coherence is evaluated analytically on relevant classes of states, and an efficient semidefinite program that computes it on general states is given. An operational interpretation is finally provided: the robustness of coherence quantifies the advantage enabled by a quantum state in a phase discrimination task. PMID:27127946

The universal blind quantum computation (UBQC) protocol [A. Broadbent, J. Fitzsimons, and E. Kashefi, in Proceedings of the 50th Annual IEEE Symposiumon Foundations of Computer Science (IEEE Computer Society, Los Alamitos, CA, USA, 2009), pp. 517-526.] allows a client to perform quantum computation on a remote server. In an ideal setting, perfect privacy is guaranteed if the client is capable of producing specific, randomly chosen single qubit states. While from a theoretical point of view, this may constitute the lowest possible quantum requirement, from a pragmatic point of view, generation of such states to be sent along long distances can never be achieved perfectly. We introduce the concept of ɛ blindness for UBQC, in analogy to the concept of ɛ security developed for other cryptographic protocols, allowing us to characterize the robustness and security properties of the protocol under possible imperfections. We also present a remote blind single qubit preparation protocol with weak coherent pulses for the client to prepare, in a delegated fashion, quantum states arbitrarily close to perfect random single qubit states. This allows us to efficiently achieve ɛ-blind UBQC for any ɛ>0, even if the channel between the client and the server is arbitrarily lossy.

The first law of thermodynamics imposes not just a constraint on the energy content of systems in extreme quantum regimes but also symmetry constraints related to the thermodynamic processing of quantumcoherence. We show that this thermodynamic symmetry decomposes any quantum state into mode operators that quantify the coherence present in the state. We then establish general upper and lower bounds for the evolution of quantumcoherence under arbitrary thermal operations, valid for any temperature. We identify primitive coherence manipulations and show that the transfer of coherence between energy levels manifests irreversibility not captured by free energy. Moreover, the recently developed thermomajorization relations on block-diagonal quantum states are observed to be special cases of this symmetry analysis.

Mesoscopic physics is a sub-discipline of condensed-matter physics that focuses on the properties of solids in a size range intermediate between bulk matter and individual atoms. In particular, it is characteristic of a domain where a certain number of interacting objects can easily be tuned between classical and quantum regimes, thus enabling studies at the border of the two. In magnetism, such a tuning was first realized with large-spin magnetic molecules called single-molecule magnets (SMMs) with archetype Mn(12)-ac. In general, the mesoscopic scale can be relatively large (e.g. micrometre-sized superconducting circuits), but, in magnetism, it is much smaller and can reach the atomic scale with rare earth (RE) ions. In all cases, it is shown how quantum relaxation can drastically reduce classical irreversibility. Taking the example of mesoscopic spin systems, the origin of irreversibility is discussed on the basis of the Landau-Zener model. A classical counterpart of this model is described enabling, in particular, intuitive understanding of most aspects of quantum spin dynamics. The spin dynamics of mesoscopic spin systems (SMM or RE systems) becomes coherent if they are well isolated. The study of the damping of their Rabi oscillations gives access to most relevant decoherence mechanisms by different environmental baths, including the electromagnetic bath of microwave excitation. This type of decoherence, clearly seen with spin systems, is easily recovered in quantum simulations. It is also observed with other types of qubits such as a single spin in a quantum dot or a superconducting loop, despite the presence of other competitive decoherence mechanisms. As in the molecular magnet V(15), the leading decoherence terms of superconducting qubits seem to be associated with a non-Markovian channel in which short-living entanglements with distributions of two-level systems (nuclear spins, impurity spins and/or charges) leading to 1/f noise induce τ(1)-like

We consider the role of quantum mechanics in a specific coherent control scenario, designing a "coherent control interferometer" as the essential tool that links coherent control to quantum fundamentals. Building upon this allows us to rigorously display the genuinely quantum nature of a generalized weak-field coherent control scenario (utilizing 1 vs. 2 photon excitation) via a Bell-CHSH test. Specifically, we propose an implementation of "quantum delayed-choice" in a bichromatic alkali atom photoionization experiment. The experimenter can choose between two complementary situations, which are characterized by a random photoelectron spin polarization with particle-like behavior on the one hand, and by spin controllability and wave-like nature on the other. Because these two choices are conditioned coherently on states of the driving fields, it becomes physically unknowable, prior to measurement, whether there is control over the spin or not.

We consider the role of quantum mechanics in a specific coherent control scenario, designing a "coherent control interferometer" as the essential tool that links coherent control to quantum fundamentals. Building upon this allows us to rigorously display the genuinely quantum nature of a generalized weak-field coherent control scenario (utilizing 1 vs. 2 photon excitation) via a Bell-CHSH test. Specifically, we propose an implementation of "quantum delayed-choice" in a bichromatic alkali atom photoionization experiment. The experimenter can choose between two complementary situations, which are characterized by a random photoelectron spin polarization with particle-like behavior on the one hand, and by spin controllability and wave-like nature on the other. Because these two choices are conditioned coherently on states of the driving fields, it becomes physically unknowable, prior to measurement, whether there is control over the spin or not. PMID:25429946

We consider the role of quantum mechanics in a specific coherent control scenario, designing a “coherent control interferometer” as the essential tool that links coherent control to quantum fundamentals. Building upon this allows us to rigorously display the genuinely quantum nature of a generalized weak-field coherent control scenario (utilizing 1 vs. 2 photon excitation) via a Bell-CHSH test. Specifically, we propose an implementation of “quantum delayed-choice” in a bichromatic alkali atom photoionization experiment. The experimenter can choose between two complementary situations, which are characterized by a random photoelectron spin polarization with particle-like behavior on the one hand, and by spin controllability and wave-like nature on the other. Because these two choices are conditioned coherently on states of the driving fields, it becomes physically unknowable, prior to measurement, whether there is control over the spin or not.

The successful development of a quantum computer would change the world, and current internet encryption methods would cease to function. However, no working quantum computer that even begins to rival conventional computers has been developed yet, which is due to the lack of suitable quantum bits. A key characteristic of a quantum bit is the coherence time. Transition metal complexes are very promising quantum bits, owing to their facile surface deposition and their chemical tunability. However, reported quantumcoherence times have been unimpressive. Here we report very long quantumcoherence times for a transition metal complex of 68 μs at low temperature (qubit figure of merit QM=3,400) and 1 μs at room temperature, much higher than previously reported values for such systems. We show that this achievement is because of the rigidity of the lattice as well as removal of nuclear spins from the vicinity of the magnetic ion.

The successful development of a quantum computer would change the world, and current internet encryption methods would cease to function. However, no working quantum computer that even begins to rival conventional computers has been developed yet, which is due to the lack of suitable quantum bits. A key characteristic of a quantum bit is the coherence time. Transition metal complexes are very promising quantum bits, owing to their facile surface deposition and their chemical tunability. However, reported quantumcoherence times have been unimpressive. Here we report very long quantumcoherence times for a transition metal complex of 68 μs at low temperature (qubit figure of merit QM=3,400) and 1 μs at room temperature, much higher than previously reported values for such systems. We show that this achievement is because of the rigidity of the lattice as well as removal of nuclear spins from the vicinity of the magnetic ion. PMID:25328006

We show that the state of a flying qubit may be transferred to a chain of identical, (near) ferromagnetically polarized, but non-interacting, static spin-\\frac{1}{2} particles in a passive way. During this process the flying qubit is coherently polarized, emerging in the direction of the majority static spins. We conjecture that this process is reversible for any number of flying qubits injected sequentially in an arbitrary superposition state, proving this explicitly for an arbitrary state of one and two flying qubits. We also find a special case in which we are able to prove the conjecture for an arbitrary number of qubits. Our architecture thus has the potential to be exploited as a passive quantum memory to encode the flying qubits without the necessity of resetting between successive encoding operations. We also illustrate that the quantum information may be spread over many static spins in the memory chain, making the mechanism resistant to spin decoherence and other imperfections. We discuss implementing the memory system with trapped bosonic atoms, controlled by a spatial light modulator.

The interaction between a confined electron and the nuclei of an optically active quantum dot provides a uniquely rich manifestation of the central spin problem. Coherent qubit control combines with an ultrafast spin-photon interface to make these confined spins attractive candidates for quantum optical networks. Reaching the full potential of spin coherence has been hindered by the lack of knowledge of the key irreversible environment dynamics. Through all-optical Hahn echo decoupling we now recover the intrinsic coherence time set by the interaction with the inhomogeneously strained nuclear bath. The high-frequency nuclear dynamics are directly imprinted on the electron spin coherence, resulting in a dramatic jump of coherence times from few tens of nanoseconds to the microsecond regime between 2 and 3 T magnetic field and an exponential decay of coherence at high fields. These results reveal spin coherence can be improved by applying large magnetic fields and reducing strain inhomogeneity. PMID:27615704

We formulate the Frobenius-norm-based measures for quantumcoherence and asymmetry respectively. In contrast to the resource theory of coherence and asymmetry, we construct a natural measure of quantumcoherence inspired from optical coherence theory while the group theoretical approach is employed to quantify the asymmetry of quantum states. Besides their simple structures and explicit physical meanings, we observe that these quantities are intimately related to the purity (or linear entropy) of the corresponding quantum states. Remarkably, we demonstrate that the proposed coherence quantifier is not only a measure of mixedness, but also an intrinsic (basis-independent) quantification of quantumcoherence contained in quantum states, which can also be viewed as a normalized version of Brukner-Zeilinger invariant information. In our context, the asymmetry of N-qubit quantum systems is considered under local independent and collective transformations. In- triguingly, it is illustrated that the collective effect has a significant impact on the asymmetry measure, and quantum correlation between subsystems plays a non-negligible role in this circumstance. PMID:27558009

We formulate the Frobenius-norm-based measures for quantumcoherence and asymmetry respectively. In contrast to the resource theory of coherence and asymmetry, we construct a natural measure of quantumcoherence inspired from optical coherence theory while the group theoretical approach is employed to quantify the asymmetry of quantum states. Besides their simple structures and explicit physical meanings, we observe that these quantities are intimately related to the purity (or linear entropy) of the corresponding quantum states. Remarkably, we demonstrate that the proposed coherence quantifier is not only a measure of mixedness, but also an intrinsic (basis-independent) quantification of quantumcoherence contained in quantum states, which can also be viewed as a normalized version of Brukner-Zeilinger invariant information. In our context, the asymmetry of N-qubit quantum systems is considered under local independent and collective transformations. In- triguingly, it is illustrated that the collective effect has a significant impact on the asymmetry measure, and quantum correlation between subsystems plays a non-negligible role in this circumstance. PMID:27558009

In modulation doped quantum wells, the excitons are formed as a result of the interactions of the charged holes with the electrons at the Fermi edge in the conduction band, leading to the so-called "Mahan excitons." The binding energy of Mahan excitons is expected to be greatly reduced and any quantumcoherence destroyed as a result of the screening and electron-electron interactions. Surprisingly, we observe strong quantumcoherence between the heavy hole and light hole excitons. Such correlations are revealed by the dominating cross-diagonal peaks in both one-quantum and two-quantum two-dimensional Fourier transform spectra. Theoretical simulations based on the optical Bloch equations where many-body effects are included phenomenologically reproduce well the experimental spectra. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations provide insight into the underlying physics and attribute the observed strong quantumcoherence to a significantly reduced screening length and collective excitations of the many-electron system.

We explore the local quantumcoherence and the local quantum uncertainty, based on Wigner-Yanase skew information, in the ground state of the anisotropic spin-1/2 XY chain in a transverse magnetic field. We show that the skew information, as a figure of merit, supplies the necessary information to reveal the occurrence of the second-order phase transition and the completely factorized ground state in the XY model. Additionally, in the same context, we also discuss the usefulness of a simple experimentally friendly lower bound of local quantumcoherence. Furthermore, we demonstrate how the connection between the appearance of nonanalyticities in the local quantum uncertainty of the ground state and the quantum phase transitions does not hold in general, by providing explicit examples of the situation. Lastly, we discuss the ability of the local quantumcoherence to accurately estimate the critical point of the phase transition, and we investigate the robustness of the factorization phenomenon at low temperatures.

Coherent evolution governs the behaviour of all quantum systems, but in nature it is often subjected to influence of a classical environment. For analysing quantum transport phenomena quantum walks emerge as suitable model systems. In particular, quantum walks on percolation structures constitute an attractive platform for studying open system dynamics of random media. Here, we present an implementation of quantum walks differing from the previous experiments by achieving dynamical control of the underlying graph structure. We demonstrate the evolution of an optical time-multiplexed quantum walk over six double steps, revealing the intricate interplay between the internal and external degrees of freedom. The observation of clear non-Markovian signatures in the coin space testifies the high coherence of the implementation and the extraordinary degree of control of all system parameters. Our work is the proof-of-principle experiment of a quantum walk on a dynamical percolation graph, paving the way towards complex simulation of quantum transport in random media.

The dynamical properties of quantumcoherence in the system of two-coupled-cavities, each of which resonantly interacts with a two-level atom, is investigated via the relative entropy measure. We focus on the coherences for the atom-atom, atom-cavity and cavity-cavity subsystems and find that the dynamical behaviors of these coherences depend largely on the cavity-cavity coupling, which may indicate the Mott insulator-superfluid transition in the thermodynamic limit. We also study the influences of the initial cavity-cavity correlation on the coherences and show that the initial correlation of the cavity-cavity subsystem can enhance the revival ability for the atom-atom and cavity-cavity coherences while reduce that for the atom-cavity coherence. Besides, we demonstrate the qualitative difference of dynamics between coherence and entanglement. Finally, the influences of dissipations including cavity losses and atomic decays on the coherence are explored.

We introduce a coherence susceptibility method, based on the fact that it signals quantum fluctuations, for identifying quantum phase transitions, which are induced by quantum fluctuations. This method requires no prior knowledge of order parameter, and there is no need for careful considerations concerning the choice of a bipartition of the system. It can identify different types of quantum phase transition points exactly. At finite temperatures, where quantum criticality is influenced by thermal fluctuations, our method can pinpoint the temperature frame of quantum criticality, which perfectly coincides with recent experiments.

We propose a universal language to assess macroscopic quantumness in terms of coherence, with a set of conditions that should be satisfied by any measure of macroscopic coherence. We link the framework to the resource theory of asymmetry. We show that the quantum Fisher information gives a good measure of macroscopic coherence, enabling a rigorous justification of a previously proposed measure of macroscopicity. This picture lets us draw connections between different measures of macroscopicity and evaluate them; we show that another widely studied measure fails one of our criteria.

In this paper, we study the quantum free particle on the spherical space by applying da costa approach for quantum particle on the curved space. We obtain the discrete energy eigenvalues and associated normalized eigenfunctions of the free particle on the sphere. In addition, we introduce the Gazeau-Klauder coherent states of free particle on the sphere. Then, the Gaussian coherent states is defined, which is used to describe the localized particle on the spherical space. Finally, we study the relation between the f-deformed coherent states and Gazeau-Klauder ones for this system.

The dynamics of quantum phase transitions pose one of the most challenging problems in modern many-body physics. Here, we study a prototypical example in a clean and well-controlled ultracold atom setup by observing the emergence of coherence when crossing the Mott insulator to superfluid quantum phase transition. In the 1D Bose–Hubbard model, we find perfect agreement between experimental observations and numerical simulations for the resulting coherence length. We, thereby, perform a largely certified analog quantum simulation of this strongly correlated system reaching beyond the regime of free quasiparticles. Experimentally, we additionally explore the emergence of coherence in higher dimensions, where no classical simulations are available, as well as for negative temperatures. For intermediate quench velocities, we observe a power-law behavior of the coherence length, reminiscent of the Kibble–Zurek mechanism. However, we find nonuniversal exponents that cannot be captured by this mechanism or any other known model. PMID:25775515

Sufficiently strong interactions promote coherentquantum transitions in spite of thermalization and losses, which are the adversaries of delicate effects such as reversibility and correlations. In atomic Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs), strong atom–atom interactions can eject atoms from the BEC to the normal component, yielding quantum depletion instead of temperature depletion. A recent experiment has already been verified to overcome losses. Here I show that it also achieves coherentquantum-depletion dynamics in a BEC swept fast enough from weak to strong atom–atom interactions. The elementary coherent process first excites the normal component into a liquid state that evolves into a spherical shell state, where the atom occupation peaks at a finite momentum to shield 50% of the BEC atoms from annihilation. The identified coherent processes resemble ultrafast semiconductor excitations expanding the scope of BEC explorations to many-body non-equilibrium studies. PMID:25767044

Sufficiently strong interactions promote coherentquantum transitions in spite of thermalization and losses, which are the adversaries of delicate effects such as reversibility and correlations. In atomic Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), strong atom-atom interactions can eject atoms from the BEC to the normal component, yielding quantum depletion instead of temperature depletion. A recent experiment has already been verified to overcome losses. Here I show that it also achieves coherentquantum-depletion dynamics in a BEC swept fast enough from weak to strong atom-atom interactions. The elementary coherent process first excites the normal component into a liquid state that evolves into a spherical shell state, where the atom occupation peaks at a finite momentum to shield 50% of the BEC atoms from annihilation. The identified coherent processes resemble ultrafast semiconductor excitations expanding the scope of BEC explorations to many-body non-equilibrium studies. PMID:25767044

The rapid growth of quantum information sciences over the past few decades has fueled a corresponding rise in high profile applications in fields such as metrology, sensors, spintronics, and attosecond dynamics, in addition to quantum information processing. Realizing this potential of today’s quantum science and the novel technologies based on this requires a high degree of coherent control of quantum systems. While early efforts in systematizing methods for high fidelity quantum control focused on isolated or closed quantum systems, recent advances in experimental design, measurement and monitoring, have stimulated both need and interest in the control of complex or large scale quantum systems that may also be coupled to an interactive environment or reservoir. This focus issue brings together new theoretical and experimental work addressing the formulation and implementation of quantum control for a broad range of applications in quantum science and technology today.

Quantumcoherence and quantum entanglement represent two fundamental features of nonclassical systems that can each be characterized within an operational resource theory. In this Letter, we unify the resource theories of entanglement and coherence by studying their combined behavior in the operational setting of local incoherent operations and classical communication (LIOCC). Specifically, we analyze the coherence and entanglement trade-offs in the tasks of state formation and resource distillation. For pure states we identify the minimum coherence-entanglement resources needed to generate a given state, and we introduce a new LIOCC monotone that completely characterizes a state's optimal rate of bipartite coherence distillation. This result allows us to precisely quantify the difference in operational powers between global incoherent operations, LIOCC, and local incoherent operations without classical communication. Finally, a bipartite mixed state is shown to have distillable entanglement if and only if entanglement can be distilled by LIOCC, and we strengthen the well-known Horodecki criterion for distillability. PMID:27447493

Quantumcoherence and quantum entanglement represent two fundamental features of nonclassical systems that can each be characterized within an operational resource theory. In this Letter, we unify the resource theories of entanglement and coherence by studying their combined behavior in the operational setting of local incoherent operations and classical communication (LIOCC). Specifically, we analyze the coherence and entanglement trade-offs in the tasks of state formation and resource distillation. For pure states we identify the minimum coherence-entanglement resources needed to generate a given state, and we introduce a new LIOCC monotone that completely characterizes a state's optimal rate of bipartite coherence distillation. This result allows us to precisely quantify the difference in operational powers between global incoherent operations, LIOCC, and local incoherent operations without classical communication. Finally, a bipartite mixed state is shown to have distillable entanglement if and only if entanglement can be distilled by LIOCC, and we strengthen the well-known Horodecki criterion for distillability.

We address quantum invisibility in the context of electronics in nanoscale quantum structures. In analogy with metamaterials, we use the freedom of design that quantum corrals provide and show that quantum mechanical objects can be hidden inside the corral, with respect to inelastic electron scattering spectroscopy in combination with scanning tunneling microscopy, and we propose a design strategy. A simple illustration of the invisibility is given in terms of an elliptic quantum corral containing a molecule, with a local vibrational mode, at one of the foci. Our work has implications to quantum information technology and presents new tools for nonlocal quantum detection and distinguishing between different molecules.

We consider the problem of decoherence and relaxation of open bosonic quantum systems from a perspective alternative to the standard master equation or quantum trajectories approaches. Our method is based on the dynamics of expectation values of observables evaluated in a coherent state representation. We examine a model of a quantum nonlinear oscillator with a density-density interaction with a collection of environmental oscillators at finite temperature. We derive the exact solution for dynamics of observables and demonstrate a consistent perturbation approach.

We explore quantum and classical correlations along with coherence in the ground states of spin-1 Heisenberg chains, namely the one-dimensional XXZ model and the one-dimensional bilinear biquadratic model, with the techniques of density matrix renormalization group theory. Exploiting the tools of quantum information theory, that is, by studying quantum discord, quantum mutual information, and three recently introduced coherence measures in the reduced density matrix of two nearest neighbor spins in the bulk, we investigate the quantum phase transitions and special symmetry points in these models. We point out the relative strengths and weaknesses of correlation and coherence measures as figures of merit to witness the quantum phase transitions and symmetry points in the considered spin-1 Heisenberg chains. In particular, we demonstrate that, as none of the studied measures can detect the infinite-order Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in the XXZ model, they appear to be able to signal the existence of the same type of transition in the biliear biquadratic model. However, we argue that what is actually detected by the measures here is the SU(3) symmetry point of the model rather than the infinite-order quantum phase transition. Moreover, we show in the XXZ model that examining even single site coherence can be sufficient to spotlight the second-order phase transition and the SU(2) symmetry point.

Coherent x-ray diffraction is a new experimental method for studying perfect and imperfect crystals. Instead of incoherent averaging, a coherent sum of amplitudes produces a coherent diffraction pattern originating from the real space arrangement of the sample. We applied this method for studying quantum dot samples that were specially fabricated GeSi islands of nanometer size and in a regular array embedded into a Si substrate. A coherent beam was focused by special Kirkpatric-Baez optics to a micrometer size. In the experiment it was observed that such a microfocused coherent beam produced coherent diffraction pattern with Bragg spots and broad diffuse maxima. The diffuse peak breaks up into a fine speckle pattern. The grazing incidence diffraction pattern has a typical shape resulting from the periodic array of identical islands. We used this diffraction pattern to reconstruct the average shape of the islands using a model independent approach.

Femtosecond spectroscopy reveals significant quantumcoherence in excitonic transport in photosynthetic organisms. How and why are living systems using quantum mechanics? This talk presents a simple theory of how to optimize energy transport in quantum systems that possess noise and disorder. Too much quantumcoherence leads to destructive interference and localization, while too little coherence prevents energy from moving at all, via the watchdog or quantum Zeno effect. With just the right amount of quantumcoherence, however, energy can move through photosynthetic complexes with almost 100% efficiency. This talk explains how plants and photosynthetic bacteria attain such high efficiencies for energy transport, and discusses how human-made systems could be designed to attain similar efficiencies.

In the framework of cavity QED, we propose a quantum repeater scheme that uses coherent light and chains of atoms coupled to optical cavities. In contrast to conventional repeater schemes, in our scheme there is no need for an explicit use of two-qubit quantum logical gates by exploiting solely the cavity QED evolution. In our previous work (Gonta and van Loock in Phys Rev A 88:052308, 2013), we already proposed a quantum repeater in which the entanglement between two neighboring repeater nodes was distributed using controlled displacements of input coherent light, while the produced low-fidelity entangled pairs were purified using ancillary (four-partite) entangled states. In the present work, the entanglement distribution is realized using a sequence of controlled phase shifts and displacements of input coherent light. Compared to previous coherent-state-based distribution schemes for two-qubit entanglement, our scheme here relies only upon a simple discrimination of two coherent states with opposite signs, which can be performed in a quantum mechanically optimal fashion via a beam splitter and two on-off detectors. For the entanglement purification, we employ a method that avoids the use of extra entangled ancilla states. Our repeater scheme exhibits reasonable fidelities and repeater rates providing an attractive platform for long-distance quantum communication.

The assemblies of either quantum dots or magnetic nanoclusters are studied. It is shown that such assemblies can produce coherent radiation. A method is developed for solving the systems of nonlinear equations describing the dynamics of such assemblies. The method is shown to be general and applicable to systems of different physical nature. Despite mathematical similarities of dynamical equations, the physics of the processes for quantum dots and magnetic nanoclusters is rather different. In a quantum dot assembly, coherence develops due to the Dicke effect of dot interactions through the common radiation field. For a system of magnetic clusters, coherence in the spin motion appears due to the Purcell effect caused by the feedback action of a resonator. Self-organized coherent spin radiation cannot arise without a resonator. This principal difference is connected with the different physical nature of dipole forces between the objects. Effective dipole interactions between the radiating quantum dots, appearing due to photon exchange, collectivize the dot radiation. While the dipolar spin interactions exist from the beginning, yet before radiation, and on the contrary, they dephase spin motion, thus destroying the coherence of moving spins. In addition, quantum dot radiation exhibits turbulent photon filamentation that is absent for radiating spins.

We introduce a general mapping for encoding quantum communication protocols involving pure states of multiple qubits, unitary transformations, and projective measurements into another set of protocols that employ a coherent state of light in a linear combination of optical modes, linear-optics transformations, and measurements with single-photon threshold detectors. This provides a general framework for transforming protocols in quantum communication into a form in which they can be implemented with current technology. We explore the similarity between properties of the original qubit protocols and the coherent-state protocols obtained from the mapping and make use of the mapping to construct additional protocols in the context of quantum communication complexity and quantum digital signatures. Our results have the potential of bringing a wide class of quantum communication protocols closer to their experimental demonstration.

An elementary derivation of best eavesdropping strategies for the four state BB84 quantum cryptography protocol is presented, for both incoherent and two-qubit coherent attacks. While coherent attacks do not help Eve to obtain more information, they are more powerful to reveal the whole message sent by Alice. Our results are based on symmetric eavesdropping strategies, which we show to be sufficient to analyze these kind of problems.

Quantum communication holds the promise of creating disruptive technologies that will play an essential role in future communication networks. For example, the study of quantum communication complexity has shown that quantum communication allows exponential reductions in the information that must be transmitted to solve distributed computational tasks. Recently, protocols that realize this advantage using optical implementations have been proposed. Here we report a proof-of-concept experimental demonstration of a quantum fingerprinting system that is capable of transmitting less information than the best-known classical protocol. Our implementation is based on a modified version of a commercial quantum key distribution system using off-the-shelf optical components over telecom wavelengths, and is practical for messages as large as 100 Mbits, even in the presence of experimental imperfections. Our results provide a first step in the development of experimental quantum communication complexity.

Quantum communication holds the promise of creating disruptive technologies that will play an essential role in future communication networks. For example, the study of quantum communication complexity has shown that quantum communication allows exponential reductions in the information that must be transmitted to solve distributed computational tasks. Recently, protocols that realize this advantage using optical implementations have been proposed. Here we report a proof-of-concept experimental demonstration of a quantum fingerprinting system that is capable of transmitting less information than the best-known classical protocol. Our implementation is based on a modified version of a commercial quantum key distribution system using off-the-shelf optical components over telecom wavelengths, and is practical for messages as large as 100 Mbits, even in the presence of experimental imperfections. Our results provide a first step in the development of experimental quantum communication complexity. PMID:26515586

Quantum communication holds the promise of creating disruptive technologies that will play an essential role in future communication networks. For example, the study of quantum communication complexity has shown that quantum communication allows exponential reductions in the information that must be transmitted to solve distributed computational tasks. Recently, protocols that realize this advantage using optical implementations have been proposed. Here we report a proof-of-concept experimental demonstration of a quantum fingerprinting system that is capable of transmitting less information than the best-known classical protocol. Our implementation is based on a modified version of a commercial quantum key distribution system using off-the-shelf optical components over telecom wavelengths, and is practical for messages as large as 100 Mbits, even in the presence of experimental imperfections. Our results provide a first step in the development of experimental quantum communication complexity. PMID:26515586

We briefly review the coherentquantum beats observed in recent two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy experiments in a photosynthetic-light-harvesting antenna. We emphasize that the decay of the quantum beats in these experiments is limited by ensemble averaging. The in vivo dynamics of energy transport depends upon the local fluctuations of a single photosynthetic complex during the energy transfer time (a few picoseconds). Recent analyses suggest that it remains possible that the quantum-coherent motion may be robust under individual realizations of the environment-induced fluctuations contrary to intuition obtained from condensed phase spectroscopic measurements and reduced density matrices. This result indicates that the decay of the observed quantumcoherence can be understood as ensemble dephasing. We propose a fluorescence-detected single-molecule experiment with phase-locked excitation pulses to investigate the coherent dynamics at the level of a single molecule without hindrance by ensemble averaging. We discuss the advantages and limitations of this method. We report our initial results on bulk fluorescence-detected coherent spectroscopy of the Fenna-Mathews-Olson complex. PMID:22753820

We demonstrate that the quantumcoherence of mesoscopic very-high-n, n {approx} 305, Rydberg wave packets travelling along nearly circular orbits can be maintained on microsecond time scales corresponding to hundreds of classical orbital periods. The coherence is probed through collapses and revivals of periodic oscillations in the average electron position. The temporal interferences of spatially separated Schroedinger cat-like wave packets are also observed. A novel hybrid quantum-classical trajectory method is employed to simulate the wave packet dynamics.

We propose a scheme to generate and control atomic spin squeezing via atomic coherence induced by the strong coupling and probe fields in the Λ-type electromagnetically-induced-transparency configuration in an atomic ensemble. Manipulation of squeezing of the two components in the plane orthogonal to the mean atomic spin direction and generation of nearly perfect squeezing in either component can be achieved by varying the relative intensities of the coupling and probe fields. This method provides a flexible and convenient way to create and control atomic spin squeezing, which may find potential applications in high-precision atomic-physics measurement, quantumcoherent control, and quantum information processing.

Quantum cascade lasers are a unique laboratory for studying nonlinear laser dynamics because of their high intracavity intensity, strong intersubband optical nonlinearity, and an unusual combination of relaxation time scales. Here we investigate the nonlinear coupling between the transverse modes of quantum cascade lasers. We present evidence for stable phase coherence of multiple transverse modes over a large range of injection currents. We explain the phase coherence by a four-wave mixing interaction originating from the strong optical nonlinearity of the gain transition. The phase-locking conditions predicted by theory are supported by spectral data and both near- and far-field mode measurements. PMID:19257192

A generalized version of the coupled coherent states method for coherent states of arbitrary Lie groups is developed. In contrast to the original formulation, which is restricted to frozen-Gaussian basis sets, the extended method is suitable for propagating quantum states of systems featuring diversified physical properties, such as spin degrees of freedom or particle indistinguishability. The approach is illustrated with simple models for interacting bosons trapped in double- and triple-well potentials, most adequately described in terms of SU(2) and SU(3) bosonic coherent states, respectively.

In classical mechanics, discrete breathers (DBs) - a spatial time-periodic localization of energy - are predicted in a large variety of nonlinear systems. Motivated by a conceptual bridging of the DB phenomena in classical and quantum mechanical representations, we study their signatures in the dynamics of a quantum equivalent of a classical mechanical point in phase space - a coherent state. In contrast to the classical point that exhibits either delocalized or localized motion, the coherent state shows signatures of both localized and delocalized behavior. The transition from normal to local modes have different characteristics in quantum and classical perspectives. Here, we get an insight into the connection between classical and quantum perspectives by analyzing the decomposition of the coherent state into system's eigenstates, and analyzing the spacial distribution of the wave-function density within these eigenstates. We find that the delocalized and localized eigenvalue components of the coherent state are separated by a mixed region, where both kinds of behavior can be observed. Further analysis leads to the following observations. Considered as a function of coupling, energy eigenstates go through avoided crossings between tunneling and non-tunneling modes. The dominance of tunneling modes in the high nonlinearity region is compromised by the appearance of new types of modes - high order tunneling modes - that are similar to the tunneling modes but have attributes of non-tunneling modes. Certain types of excitations preferentially excite higher order tunneling modes, allowing one to study their properties. Since auto-correlation functions decrease quickly in highly nonlinear systems, short-time dynamics are sufficient for modeling quantum DBs. This work provides a foundation for implementing modern semi-classical methods to model quantum DBs, bridging classical and quantum mechanical signatures of DBs, and understanding spectroscopic experiments that

We investigate the influences of the-applied-field phases and amplitudes on the coherent population trapping behavior in superconducting quantum circuits. Based on the interactions of the microwave fields with a single Δ-type three-level fluxonium qubit, the coherent population trapping could be obtainable and it is very sensitive to the relative phase and amplitudes of the applied fields. When the relative phase is tuned to 0 or π, the maximal atomic coherence is present and coherent population trapping occurs. While for the choice of π/2, the atomic coherence becomes weak. Meanwhile, for the fixed relative phase π/2, the value of coherence would decrease with the increase of Rabi frequency of the external field coupled with two lower levels. The responsible physical mechanism is quantum interference induced by the control fields, which is indicated in the dressed-state representation. The microwave coherent phenomenon is present in our scheme, which will have potential applications in optical communication and nonlinear optics in solid-state devices. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11165008 and 11365009), the Foundation of Young Scientist of Jiangxi Province, China (Grant No. 20142BCB23011), and the Scientific Research Foundation of Jiangxi Provincial Department of Education (Grant No. GJJ13348).

Quantum states may exhibit asymmetry with respect to the action of a given group. Such an asymmetry of states can be considered a resource in applications such as quantum metrology, and it is a concept that encompasses quantumcoherence as a special case. We introduce explicitly and study the robustness of asymmetry, a quantifier of asymmetry of states that we prove to have many attractive properties, including efficient numerical computability via semidefinite programming and an operational interpretation in a channel discrimination context. We also introduce the notion of asymmetry witnesses, whose measurement in a laboratory detects the presence of asymmetry. We prove that properly constrained asymmetry witnesses provide lower bounds to the robustness of asymmetry, which is shown to be a directly measurable quantity itself. We then focus our attention on coherence witnesses and the robustness of coherence, for which we prove a number of additional results; these include an analysis of its specific relevance in phase discrimination and quantum metrology, an analytical calculation of its value for a relevant class of quantum states, and tight bounds that relate it to another previously defined coherence monotone.

In quantum gravity, fields may lose quantumcoherence by scattering off vacuum fluctuations in which virtual black hole pairs appear and disappear. Although it is not possible to properly compute the scattering off such fluctuations, we argue that one can get useful qualitative results, which provide a guide to the possible effects of such scattering, by considering a quantum field on the C metric, which has the same topology as a virtual black hole pair. We study a scalar field on the Lorentzian C metric background, with the scalar field in the analytically continued Euclidean vacuum state. We find that there are a finite number of particles at infinity in this state, contrary to recent claims made by Yi. Thus, this state is not determined by data at infinity, and there is loss of quantumcoherence in this semiclassical calculation.

On the basis of fundamental idea of Yuen, we present a new type of quantum random cipher, where pulse position modulated signals are encrypted in the picture of quantum Gaussian wave form. We discuss the security of our proposed system with a phase mask encryption.

We explore quantumcoherence, inherited from Wigner-Yanase skew information, to analyze quantum criticality in the anisotropic XY chain model at finite temperature. Based on the exact solutions of the Hamiltonian, the quantumcoherence contained in a nearest-neighbor spin pairs reduced density matrix ρ is obtained. The first-order derivative of the quantumcoherence is non-analytic around the critical point at sufficient low temperature. The finite-temperature scaling behavior and the universality are verified numerically. In particular, the quantumcoherence can also detect the factorization transition in such a model at sufficient low temperature. We also show that quantumcoherence contained in distant spin pairs can characterize quantum criticality and factorization phenomena at finite temperature. Our results imply that quantumcoherence can serve as an efficient indicator of quantum criticality in such a model and shed considerable light on the relationships between quantum phase transitions and quantum information theory at finite temperature.

We use general arguments to examine the energy scales for which a quantumcoherent description of gravitating quantum energy units is necessary. The cosmological dark energy density is expected to decouple from the Friedman-Lemaitre energy density when the Friedman-Robertson-Walker scale expansion becomes sub-luminal at R = c, at which time the usual microscopic interactions of relativistic quantum mechanics (QED, QCD, etc) open new degrees of freedom. We assume that these microscopic interactions cannot signal with superluminal exchanges, only superluminal quantum correlations. The expected gravitational vacuum energy density at that scale would be expected to freeze out due to the loss of gravitational coherence. We define the vacuum energy which generates this cosmological constant to be that of a zero temperature Bose condensate at this gravitational de-coherence scale. We presume a universality throughout the universe in the available degrees of freedom determined by fundamental constants during its evolution. Examining the reverse evolution of the universe from the present, long before reaching Planck scale dynamics one expects major modifications from the de-coherent thermal equations of state, suggesting that the pre-coherent phase has global coherence properties. Since the arguments presented involve primarily counting of degrees of freedom, we expect the statistical equilibrium states of causally disconnected regions of space to be independently identical. Thus, there is no horizon problem associated with the lack of causal influences between spatially separated regions in this approach. The scale of the amplitude of fluctuations produced during de-coherence of cosmological vacuum energy are found to evolve to values consistent with those observed in cosmic microwave background radiation and galactic clustering.

In modulation doped quantum wells, the excitons are formed as a result of the interactions of the charged holes with the electrons at the Fermi edge in the conduction band, leading to the so-called “Mahan excitons.” The binding energy of Mahan excitons is expected to be greatly reduced and any quantumcoherence destroyed as a result of the screening and electron-electron interactions. Surprisingly, we observe strong quantumcoherence between the heavy hole and light hole excitons. Such correlations are revealed by the dominating cross-diagonal peaks in both one-quantum and two-quantum two-dimensional Fourier transform spectra. Theoretical simulations based on the opticalmore » Bloch equations where many-body effects are included phenomenologically reproduce well the experimental spectra. Furthermore, time-dependent density functional theory calculations provide insight into the underlying physics and attribute the observed strong quantumcoherence to a significantly reduced screening length and collective excitations of the many-electron system.« less

In modulation doped quantum wells, the excitons are formed as a result of the interactions of the charged holes with the electrons at the Fermi edge in the conduction band, leading to the so-called "Mahan excitons." The binding energy of Mahan excitons is expected to be greatly reduced and any quantumcoherence destroyed as a result of the screening and electron-electron interactions. Surprisingly, we observe strong quantumcoherence between the heavy hole and light hole excitons. Such correlations are revealed by the dominating cross-diagonal peaks in both one-quantum and two-quantum two-dimensional Fourier transform spectra. Theoretical simulations based on the optical Bloch equations where many-body effects are included phenomenologically reproduce well the experimental spectra. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations provide insight into the underlying physics and attribute the observed strong quantumcoherence to a significantly reduced screening length and collective excitations of the many-electron system. PMID:27127985

Controlling long-distance quantum correlations is central to quantum computation and simulation. In quantum dot arrays, experiments so far rely on nearest-neighbour couplings only, and inducing long-distance correlations requires sequential local operations. Here, we show that two distant sites can be tunnel-coupled directly. The coupling is mediated by virtual occupation of an intermediate site, with a strength that is controlled via the energy detuning of this site. It permits a single charge to oscillate coherently between the outer sites of a triple dot array without passing through the middle, as demonstrated through the observation of Landau-Zener-Stückelberg interference. The long-distance coupling significantly improves the prospects of fault-tolerant quantum computation using quantum dot arrays, and opens up new avenues for performing quantum simulations in nanoscale devices. PMID:23624695

Coherent evolution governs the behaviour of all quantum systems, but in nature it is often subjected to influence of a classical environment. For analysing quantum transport phenomena quantum walks emerge as suitable model systems. In particular, quantum walks on percolation structures constitute an attractive platform for studying open system dynamics of random media. Here, we present an implementation of quantum walks differing from the previous experiments by achieving dynamical control of the underlying graph structure. We demonstrate the evolution of an optical time-multiplexed quantum walk over six double steps, revealing the intricate interplay between the internal and external degrees of freedom. The observation of clear non-Markovian signatures in the coin space testifies the high coherence of the implementation and the extraordinary degree of control of all system parameters. Our work is the proof-of-principle experiment of a quantum walk on a dynamical percolation graph, paving the way towards complex simulation of quantum transport in random media. PMID:26311434

A quantumcoherent switch having a substrate formed from a density wave (DW) material capable of having a periodic electron density modulation or spin density modulation, a dielectric layer formed onto a surface of the substrate that is orthogonal to an intrinsic wave vector of the DW material; and structure for applying an external spatially periodic electrostatic potential over the dielectric layer.

We study the cooling performance of optical-feedback controllers for open optical and mechanical resonators in the linear quadratic Gaussian setting of stochastic control theory. We utilize analysis and numerical optimization of closed-loop models based on quantum stochastic differential equations to show that coherent control schemes, where we embed the resonator in an interferometer to achieve all-optical feedback, can outperform optimal measurement-based feedback control schemes in the quantum regime of low steady-state excitation number. These performance gains are attributed to the coherent controller's ability to simultaneously process both quadratures of an optical probe field without measurement or loss of fidelity, and may guide the design of coherent feedback schemes for more general problems of robust nonlinear and robust control.

Coherence and entanglement play a significant role in the quantum theory. Ideal quantum systems, "closed" to the outside world, remain quantum forever and thus manage to retain coherence and entanglement. Real quantum systems, however, are open to the environment and are therefore susceptible to the phenomenon of decoherence and disentanglement which are major hindrances to the effectiveness of quantum information processing tasks. In this thesis we have theoretically studied the evolution of coherence and entanglement in quantum systems coupled to various environments. We have also studied ways and means of controlling the decay of coherence and entanglement. We have studied the exact qubit entanglement dynamics of some interesting initial states coupled to a high-Q cavity containing zero photon, one photon, two photons and many photons respectively. We have found that an initially correlated environmental state can serve as an enhancer for entanglement decay or generation processes. More precisely, we have demonstrated that the degree of entanglement, including its collapse as well as its revival times, can be significantly modified by the correlated structure of the environmental modes. We have also studied dynamical decoupling (DD) technique --- a prominent strategy of controlling decoherence and preserving entanglement in open quantum systems. We have analyzed several DD control methods applied to qubit systems that can eliminate the system-environment coupling and prolong the quantumcoherence time. Particularly, we have proposed a new DD sequence consisting a set of designed control operators that can universally protected an unknown qutrit state against colored phase and amplitude environment noises. In addition, in a non-Markovian regime, we have reformulated the quantum state diffusion (QSD) equation to incorporate the effect of the external control fields. Without any assumptions on the system-environment coupling and the size of environment, we have

While the objective of conventional quantum key distribution (QKD) is to secretly generate and share the classical bits concealed in the form of maximally mixed quantum states, that of private quantum channel (PQC) is to secretly transmit individual quantum states concealed in the form of maximally mixed states using shared one-time pad and it is called Gaussian private quantum channel (GPQC) when the scheme is in the regime of continuous variables. We propose a GPQC enhanced with squeezed coherent states (GPQCwSC), which is a generalization of GPQC with coherent states only (GPQCo) [Phys. Rev. A 72, 042313 (2005)]. We show that GPQCwSC beats the GPQCo for the upper bound on accessible information. As a subsidiary example, it is shown that the squeezed states take an advantage over the coherent states against a beam splitting attack in a continuous variable QKD. It is also shown that a squeezing operation can be approximated as a superposition of two different displacement operations in the small squeezing regime. PMID:26364893

While the objective of conventional quantum key distribution (QKD) is to secretly generate and share the classical bits concealed in the form of maximally mixed quantum states, that of private quantum channel (PQC) is to secretly transmit individual quantum states concealed in the form of maximally mixed states using shared one-time pad and it is called Gaussian private quantum channel (GPQC) when the scheme is in the regime of continuous variables. We propose a GPQC enhanced with squeezed coherent states (GPQCwSC), which is a generalization of GPQC with coherent states only (GPQCo) [Phys. Rev. A 72, 042313 (2005)]. We show that GPQCwSC beats the GPQCo for the upper bound on accessible information. As a subsidiary example, it is shown that the squeezed states take an advantage over the coherent states against a beam splitting attack in a continuous variable QKD. It is also shown that a squeezing operation can be approximated as a superposition of two different displacement operations in the small squeezing regime. PMID:26364893

While the objective of conventional quantum key distribution (QKD) is to secretly generate and share the classical bits concealed in the form of maximally mixed quantum states, that of private quantum channel (PQC) is to secretly transmit individual quantum states concealed in the form of maximally mixed states using shared one-time pad and it is called Gaussian private quantum channel (GPQC) when the scheme is in the regime of continuous variables. We propose a GPQC enhanced with squeezed coherent states (GPQCwSC), which is a generalization of GPQC with coherent states only (GPQCo) [Phys. Rev. A 72, 042313 (2005)]. We show that GPQCwSC beats the GPQCo for the upper bound on accessible information. As a subsidiary example, it is shown that the squeezed states take an advantage over the coherent states against a beam splitting attack in a continuous variable QKD. It is also shown that a squeezing operation can be approximated as a superposition of two different displacement operations in the small squeezing regime.

We describe a nonlocal method for generating entangled coherent states of a two-mode field wherein the field modes never meet. The proposed method is an extension of an earlier proposal [C. C. Gerry, Phys. Rev. A 59, 4095 (1999)] for the generation of superpositions of coherent states. A single photon injected into a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with cross-Kerr media in both arms coupling with two external fields in coherent states produces entangled coherent states upon detection at one of the output ports. We point out that our proposal can be alternatively viewed as a 'which path' experiment, and in the case of only one external field, we describe the implementation of a quantum eraser.

The crucial step in the conversion of solar to chemical energy in Photosynthesis takes place in the reaction center where the absorbed excitation energy is converted into a stable charge separated state by ultrafast electron transfer events. However, the fundamental mechanism responsible for the near unity quantum efficiency of this process is unknown. Here we elucidate the role of coherence in determining the efficiency of charge separation in the plant photosystem II reaction centre (PSII RC) by comprehensively combining experiment (two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy) and theory (Redfield theory). We reveal the presence of electronic coherence between excitons as well as between exciton and charge transfer states which we argue to be maintained by vibrational modes. Furthermore, we present evidence for the strong correlation between the degree of electronic coherence and efficient and ultrafast charge separation. We propose that this coherent mechanism will inspire the development of new energy technologies. PMID:26870153

The generation of coherent and indistinguishable single photons is a critical step for photonic quantum technologies in information processing and metrology. A promising system is the resonant optical excitation of solid-state emitters embedded in wavelength-scale three-dimensional cavities. However, the challenge here is to reject the unwanted excitation to a level below the quantum signal. We demonstrate this using coherent photon scattering from a quantum dot in a micropillar. The cavity is shown to enhance the fraction of light that is resonantly scattered toward unity, generating antibunched indistinguishable photons that are 16 times narrower than the time-bandwidth limit, even when the transition is near saturation. Finally, deterministic excitation is used to create two-photon N00N states with which we make superresolving phase measurements in a photonic circuit. PMID:27152337

The generation of coherent and indistinguishable single photons is a critical step for photonic quantum technologies in information processing and metrology. A promising system is the resonant optical excitation of solid-state emitters embedded in wavelength-scale three-dimensional cavities. However, the challenge here is to reject the unwanted excitation to a level below the quantum signal. We demonstrate this using coherent photon scattering from a quantum dot in a micropillar. The cavity is shown to enhance the fraction of light that is resonantly scattered toward unity, generating antibunched indistinguishable photons that are 16 times narrower than the time-bandwidth limit, even when the transition is near saturation. Finally, deterministic excitation is used to create two-photon N00N states with which we make superresolving phase measurements in a photonic circuit. PMID:27152337

We place two atoms in quantum superposition states and observe coherent phase evolution for 3.4x10{sup 15} cycles. Correlation signals from the two atoms yield information about their relative phase even after the probe radiation has decohered. This technique allowed a frequency comparison of two {sup 27}Al{sup +} ions with fractional uncertainty 3.7{sub -0.8}{sup +1.0}x10{sup -16}/{radical}({tau}/s). Two measures of the Q factor are reported: The Q factor derived from quantumcoherence is 3.4{sub -1.1}{sup +2.4}x10{sup 16}, and the spectroscopic Q factor for a Ramsey time of 3 s is 6.7x10{sup 15}. We demonstrate a method to detect the individual quantum states of two Al{sup +} ions in a Mg{sup +}-Al{sup +}-Al{sup +} linear ion chain without spatially resolving the ions.

Norbert Wiener and J.B.S. Haldane suggested during the early thirties that the profound changes in our conception of matter entailed by quantum theory opens the way for our thoughts, and other experiential or mind-like qualities, to play a role in nature that is causally interactive and effective, rather than purely epiphenomenal, as required by classical mechanics. The mathematical basis of this suggestion is described here, and it is then shown how, by giving mind this efficacious role in natural process, the classical character of our perceptions of the quantum universe can be seen to be a consequence of evolutionary pressures for the survival of the species.

Quantum 1/f noise is a fundamental fluctuation of currents, physical cross sections or process rates, caused by infrared coupling of the current carriers to very low frequency (soft) quanta, also known as infraquanta. The latter are soft gravitons in the gravidynamic case with the coupling constant g= pGM2/Nch considered here -- soft photons in the electrodynamic case and soft transversal piezo-phonons in the lattice-dynamical case. Here p=3.14 and F=psi. Quantum 1/f noise is a new aspect of quantum mechanics expressed mainly through the coherentquantum 1/f effect 2g/pf derived here for large systems, and mainly through the conventional quantum 1/f effect for small systems or individual particles. Both effects are present in general, and their effects are superposed in a first approximation with the help of a coherence (weight) parameter s" that will be derived elsewhere for the gravitational case. The spectral density of fractional fluctuations S(dj/j,f) for j=e(hk/2pm)|F|2 is S(F2,f)/ = S(j,f)/2 = [4ps"/(1+s")]GM2/pfNch = 4.4 10E9 M2/(pfNgram2). Here s" = 2N'GM/c2=N'rs, where N' is the number of particles of mass M per unit length of the current, rs their Schwarzschild radius, and s" is our coherence (weight) parameter giving the ratio of coherent to conventional quantum 1/f contributions.

We present the design of a superconducting qubit with multiple Josephson junctions. The design starts with a capacitively shunted flux qubit, and it incorporates particular junction parameter choices for the purpose of simultaneously optimizing over transition frequency, anharmonicity, flux- and charge-noise sensitivity around flux degeneracy. By studying the scaling properties with design parameters, we identify directions to extend coherence substantially. This research was funded by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) via MIT Lincoln Laboratory under Air Force Contract No. FA8721-05-C-0002.

Negative refraction of a probe field is studied in a dense gas consisting of cascade-type four-level atoms. By coupling the magnetic component of the probe field to a Λ scheme with initially prepared coherence in the two lower levels, strong negative permeability with minimal absorption can be obtained. The permittivity of the gas to the electric component of the probe field can be made negative by taking into account the local field effect of the dense atoms. Strong negative refraction with zero absorption can be achieved in a wide range of parameters in our scheme. A possible experimental realization is also discussed.

We propose a multilevel quantum heat engine with a working medium described by a generalized Rabi model which consists of a two-level system coupled to a single-mode bosonic field. The model is constructed to be a continuum limit of a quantum biological description of light-harvesting complexes so that it can amplify quantumcoherence by a mechanism which is a quantum analog of classical Huygens clocks. The engine operates in a quantum Otto cycle where the working medium is coupled to classical heat baths in the isochoric processes of the four-stroke cycle, while either the coupling strength or the resonance frequency is changed in the adiabatic stages. We found that such an engine can produce work with an efficiency close to the Carnot bound when it operates at low temperatures and in the ultrastrong-coupling regime. The interplay of the effects of quantumcoherence and quantum correlations on the engine performance is discussed in terms of second-order coherence, quantum mutual information, and the logarithmic negativity of entanglement. We point out that the proposed quantum Otto engine can be implemented experimentally with modern circuit quantum electrodynamic systems where flux qubits can be coupled ultrastrongly to superconducting transmission-line resonators.

In multiple quantum NMR, individual spins become correlated with one another over time through their dipolar couplings. In this way, the usual Zeeman selection rule can be overcome and forbidden transitions can be excited. Experimentally, these multiple quantumcoherences (MQC) are formed by the application of appropriate sequences of radio frequency pulses that force the spins to act collectively. 1H spin coherences of even order up to 16 were excited in a polycrystalline sample of ferrocene (C 5H 5) 2Fe and up to 32 in adamantane (C 10H 16) and their evolutions studied in different conditions: (a) under the natural dipolar Hamiltonian, H ZZ (free evolution) and with H ZZ canceled out by (b) time reversion or (c) with the MREV8 sequence. The results show that when canceling H ZZ the coherences decay with characteristic times ( τc≈200 μs), which are more than one order of magnitude longer than those under free evolution ( τc≈10 μs). In addition, it is observed that with both MREV8 and time reversion sequences, the higher the order of the coherence (larger number of correlated spins) the faster the speed of degradation, as it happens during the evolution with H ZZ. In both systems, it is observed that the sequence of time reversion of the dipolar Hamiltonian preserves coherences for longer times than MREV8.

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are attractive candidates for scalable solid state implementations of quantum information processing based on electron spin states, where a crucial requirement for practical devices is to have efficient and tunable spin coupling between them. We focus on recent femtosecond time-resolved Faraday rotation studies of self-assembled multilayer spintronic devices based on colloidal quantum dots bridged by conjugated molecules (M. Ouyang et al., Science 301, 1074 (2003)). The data reveal the instantaneous transfer of spin coherence through conjugated molecular bridges spanning quantum dots of different size over a broad range of temperature. The room temperature spin transfer efficiency exceeds 20%, which approximately doubles the value measured at T=4.5K. A molecular π-orbital mediated spin coherence transfer mechanism is proposed to provide a qualitative insight into the experimental observations, suggesting a correlation between the stereochemistry of molecules and the transfer process. The results show that conjugated molecules can be used not only as physical links for the assembly of functional networks, but also as efficient channels for shuttling quantum information. This class of structures may be useful as two-spin quantum devices operating at ambient temperatures and may offer promising opportunities for future versatile molecule-based spintronic technologies.

Quantum technology relies on the utilization of resources, like quantumcoherence and entanglement, which allow quantum information and computation processing. This achievement is however jeopardized by the detrimental effects of the environment surrounding any quantum system, so that finding strategies to protect quantum resources is essential. Non-Markovian and structured environments are useful tools to this aim. Here we show how a simple environmental architecture made of two coupled lossy cavities enables a switch between Markovian and non-Markovian regimes for the dynamics of a qubit embedded in one of the cavity. Furthermore, qubit coherence can be indefinitely preserved if the cavity without qubit is perfect. We then focus on entanglement control of two independent qubits locally subject to such an engineered environment and discuss its feasibility in the framework of circuit quantum electrodynamics. With up-to-date experimental parameters, we show that our architecture allows entanglement lifetimes orders of magnitude longer than the spontaneous lifetime without local cavity couplings. This cavity-based architecture is straightforwardly extendable to many qubits for scalability. PMID:26351004

Quantum technology relies on the utilization of resources, like quantumcoherence and entanglement, which allow quantum information and computation processing. This achievement is however jeopardized by the detrimental effects of the environment surrounding any quantum system, so that finding strategies to protect quantum resources is essential. Non-Markovian and structured environments are useful tools to this aim. Here we show how a simple environmental architecture made of two coupled lossy cavities enables a switch between Markovian and non-Markovian regimes for the dynamics of a qubit embedded in one of the cavity. Furthermore, qubit coherence can be indefinitely preserved if the cavity without qubit is perfect. We then focus on entanglement control of two independent qubits locally subject to such an engineered environment and discuss its feasibility in the framework of circuit quantum electrodynamics. With up-to-date experimental parameters, we show that our architecture allows entanglement lifetimes orders of magnitude longer than the spontaneous lifetime without local cavity couplings. This cavity-based architecture is straightforwardly extendable to many qubits for scalability. PMID:26351004

When combining lumped mesoscopic electronic components to form a circuit, quantum fluctuations of electrical quantities lead to a nonlinear electromagnetic interaction between the components, which is generally not understood. The Landauer-Büttiker formalism that is frequently used to describe noninteracting coherent mesoscopic components is not directly suited to describe such circuits since it assumes perfect voltage bias, i.e., the absence of fluctuations. Here, we show that for short coherent conductors of arbitrary transmission, the Landauer-Büttiker formalism can be extended to take into account quantum voltage fluctuations similarly to what is done for tunnel junctions. The electrodynamics of the whole circuit is then formally worked out disregarding the non-Gaussianity of fluctuations. This reveals how the aforementioned nonlinear interaction operates in short coherent conductors: Voltage fluctuations induce a reduction of conductance through the phenomenon of dynamical Coulomb blockade, but they also modify their internal density of states, leading to an additional electrostatic modification of the transmission. Using this approach, we can quantitatively account for conductance measurements performed on quantum point contacts in series with impedances of the order of RK=h /e2 . Our work should enable a better engineering of quantum circuits with targeted properties.

We report on an example of confined magnetic ions with long spin coherence near room temperature. This was achieved by confining single Mn(2+) spins in colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and by dispersing the QDs in a proton-spin free matrix. The controlled suppression of Mn-Mn interactions and minimization of Mn-nuclear spin dipolar interactions result in unprecedentedly long phase memory (TM ~ 8 μs) and spin-lattice relaxation (T1 ~ 10 ms) time constants for Mn(2+) ions at T = 4.5 K, and in electron spin coherence observable near room temperature (TM ~ 1 μs). PMID:26040432

The last years have witnessed fast growing developments in the use of quantum mechanics in technology-oriented and information-related fields, especially in metrology, in the developments of nano-devices and in understanding highly efficient transport processes. The consequent theoretical and experimental outcomes are now driving new experimental tests of quantum mechanical effects with unprecedented accuracies that carry with themselves the concrete possibility of novel technological spin-offs. Indeed, the manifold advances in quantum optics, atom and ion manipulations, spintronics and nano-technologies are allowing direct experimental verifications of new ideas and their applications to a large variety of fields. All of these activities have revitalized interest in quantum mechanics and created a unique framework in which theoretical and experimental physics have become fruitfully tangled with information theory, computer, material and life sciences. This special issue aims to provide an overview of what is currently being pursued in the field and of what kind of theoretical reference frame is being developed together with the experimental and theoretical results. It consists of three sections: 1. Memory effects in quantum dynamics and quantum channels 2. Driven open quantum systems 3. Experiments concerning quantumcoherence and/or decoherence The first two sections are theoretical and concerned with open quantum systems. In all of the above mentioned topics, the presence of an external environment needs to be taken into account, possibly in the presence of external controls and/or forcing, leading to driven open quantum systems. The open system paradigm has proven to be central in the analysis and understanding of many basic issues of quantum mechanics, such as the measurement problem, quantum communication and coherence, as well as for an ever growing number of applications. The theory is, however, well-settled only when the so-called Markovian or memoryless

We review our recent advances in four-wave mixing spectroscopy of single semiconductor quantum dots using heterodyne spectral interferometry, a novel implementation of transient nonlinear spectroscopy allowing the study of the transient nonlinear polarization emitted from individual electronic transitions in both amplitude and phase. We present experiments on individual excitonic transitions localized in monolayer islands of GaAs/AlAs quantum wells and in self-assembled CdTe/ZnTe quantum dots. We investigate the formation of the photon echo from individual transitions, both with increasing number of transitions in the ensemble, and in the presence of temporal jitter of the energy of a single transition. The detection of amplitude and phase of the signal allows the implementation of a two-dimensional femtosecond spectroscopy, in which mutual coherent coupling of single quantum dot states can observed and quantified. PMID:21483055

Following the Gazeau-Klauder approach, we construct generalized coherent states (GCS) as the quantum simulator to examine the deformed quantum mechanics, which exhibits an intrinsic maximum momentum. We study deformed harmonic oscillators and compute their probability distribution and entropy of states exactly. Also, a particle in an infinite potential box is studied perturbatively. In particular, unlike usual quantum mechanics, the present deformed case increases the entropy of the Planck scale quantum optical system. Furthermore, for simplicity, we obtain the modified uncertainty principle (MUP) with the perturbative treatment up to leading order. MUP turns out to increase generally. However, for certain values of γ (a parameter of GCS), it is possible that the MUP will vanish and hence will exhibit the classical characteristic. This is interpreted as the manifestation of the intrinsic high-momentum cutoff at lower momentum in a perturbative treatment. Although the GCS saturates the minimal uncertainty in a simultaneous measurement of physical position and momentum operators, thus constituting the squeezed states, complete coherency is impossible in quantum gravitational physics. The Mandel Q number is calculated, and it is shown that the statistics can be Poissonian and super-/sub-Poissonian depending on γ. The equation of motion is studied, and both Ehrenfest’s theorem and the correspondence principle are recovered. Fractional revival times are obtained through the autocorrelation, and they indicate that the superposition of a classical-like subwave packet is natural in GCS. We also contrast our results with the string-motivated (Snyder) type of deformed quantum mechanics, which incorporates a minimum position uncertainty rather than a maximum momentum. With the advances of quantum optics technology, it might be possible to realize some of these distinguishing quantum-gravitational features within the domain of future experiments.

To control a quantum system via feedback, we generally have two options in choosing a control scheme. One is the coherent feedback, which feeds the output field of the system, through a fully quantum device, back to manipulate the system without involving any measurement process. The other one is measurement-based feedback, which measures the output field and performs a real-time manipulation on the system based on the measurement results. Both schemes have advantages and disadvantages, depending on the system and the control goal; hence, their comparison in several situations is important. This paper considers a general open linear quantum system with the following specific control goals: backaction evasion, generation of a quantum nondemolished variable, and generation of a decoherence-free subsystem, all of which have important roles in quantum information science. Some no-go theorems are proven, clarifying that those goals cannot be achieved by any measurement-based feedback control. On the other hand, it is shown that, for each control goal there exists a coherent feedback controller accomplishing the task. The key idea to obtain all the results is system theoretic characterizations of the above three notions in terms of controllability and observability properties or transfer functions of linear systems, which are consistent with their standard definitions.

The exponential speed-up in some quantum algorithms is a direct result of parallel function-evaluation paths that interfere through a quantum Fourier transform (QFT). We report the implementation of a fully coherent QFT on five trapped Yb+ atomic qubits using sequences of fundamental quantum logic gates. These modular gates can be used to program arbitrary sequences nearly independent of system size and distance between qubits. We use this capability to first perform a Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm where several instances of three-qubit balanced and constant functions are implemented and then examined using single qubit QFTs. Secondly, we apply a fully coherent five-qubit QFT as a part of a quantum phase estimation protocol. Here, the QFT operates on a five-qubit superposition state with a particular phase modulation of its coefficients and directly produces the corresponding phase to five-bit precision. Finally, we examine the performance of the QFT in the period finding problem in the context of Shor's factorization algorithm. This work is supported by the ARO with funding from the IARPA MQCO program and the AFOSR MURI on Quantum Measurement and Verification.

Many intramolecular electron transfer (ET) reactions in biology are mediated by metal centers in proteins. This process is commonly described by a model of diffusive hopping according to the semiclassical theories of Marcus and Hopfield. However, recent studies have raised the possibility that nontrivial quantum mechanical effects play a functioning role in certain biomolecular processes. Here, we investigate the potential effects of quantumcoherence in biological ET by extending the semiclassical model to allow for the possibility of quantumcoherent phenomena using a quantum master equation based on the Holstein Hamiltonian. We test the model on the structurally defined chain of seven iron-sulfur clusters in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide plus hydrogen:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I), a crucial respiratory enzyme and one of the longest chains of metal centers in biology. Using experimental parameters where possible, we find that, in limited circumstances, a small quantum mechanical contribution can provide a marked increase in the ET rate above the semiclassical diffusive-hopping rate. Under typical biological conditions, our model reduces to well-known diffusive behavior.

Protocols for quantum communication between massive particles, such as atoms, are usually based on making use of nonclassical light, and/or superhigh finesse optical cavities are normally needed to enhance interaction between atoms and photons. We demonstrate a remarkable result: by using only coherent light, entanglement can be generated between distant free space atomic ensembles, and an unknown quantum state can thus be teleported from one to another. Neither nonclassical light nor cavities are needed in the scheme, which greatly simplifies its experimental implementation.

A method for quantum key distribution (QKD) using entangled coherent states is discussed which is designed to provide key distribution rates and transmission distances surpassing those of traditional entangled photon pair QKD by exploiting entanglement sudden death. The method uses entangled electromagnetic signal states of `macroscopic' average photon numbers rather than single photon or entangled photon pairs, which have inherently limited rate and distance performance as bearers of quantum key data. Accordingly, rather than relying specifically on Bell inequalities as do entangled photon pair-based methods, the security of this method is based on entanglement witnesses and related functions.

We propose a multiple-range quantum communication channel to realize coherent two-way quantum state transport with high fidelity. In our scheme, an information carrier (a qubit) and its remote partner are both adiabatically coupled to the same data bus, i.e., an N-site tight-binding chain that has a single defect at the center. At the weak interaction regime, our system is effectively equivalent to a three level system of which a coherent superposition of the two carrier states constitutes a dark state. The adiabatic coupling allows a well controllable information exchange timing via the dark state between the two carriers. Numerical results show that our scheme is robust and efficient under practically inevitable perturbative defects of the data bus as well as environmental dephasing noise.

We propose a scheme to probe quantumcoherence in the state of a nanocantilever based on its magnetic coupling (mediated by a magnetic tip) with a spinor Bose Einstein condensate (BEC). By mapping the BEC into a rotor, its coupling with the cantilever results in a gyroscopic motion whose properties depend on the state of the cantilever: the dynamics of one of the components of the rotor angular momentum turns out to be strictly related to the presence of quantumcoherence in the state of the cantilever. We also suggest a detection scheme relying on Faraday rotation, which produces only a very small back-action on the BEC and is thus suitable for a continuous detection of the cantilever's dynamics.

We propose a multiple-range quantum communication channel to realize coherent two-way quantum state transport with high fidelity. In our scheme, an information carrier (a qubit) and its remote partner are both adiabatically coupled to the same data bus, i.e., an N-site tight-binding chain that has a single defect at the center. At the weak interaction regime, our system is effectively equivalent to a three level system of which a coherent superposition of the two carrier states constitutes a dark state. The adiabatic coupling allows a well controllable information exchange timing via the dark state between the two carriers. Numerical results show that our scheme is robust and efficient under practically inevitable perturbative defects of the data bus as well as environmental dephasing noise. PMID:27364891

We propose a multiple-range quantum communication channel to realize coherent two-way quantum state transport with high fidelity. In our scheme, an information carrier (a qubit) and its remote partner are both adiabatically coupled to the same data bus, i.e., an N-site tight-binding chain that has a single defect at the center. At the weak interaction regime, our system is effectively equivalent to a three level system of which a coherent superposition of the two carrier states constitutes a dark state. The adiabatic coupling allows a well controllable information exchange timing via the dark state between the two carriers. Numerical results show that our scheme is robust and efficient under practically inevitable perturbative defects of the data bus as well as environmental dephasing noise. PMID:27364891

A technique for adiabatic control of the population flow through a preselected decaying excited level in a three-level quantum ladder is presented. The population flow through the intermediate or upper level is controlled efficiently and robustly by varying the pulse delay between a pair of partly overlapping coherent laser pulses. The technique is analyzed theoretically and demonstrated in an experiment with Na{sub 2} molecules.

It is well known that Parafermi and Parabose statistics are natural extensions of the usual Fermi and Bose ones, enhancing trilinear (anti)commutation relations instead of bilinear ones. Due to this generalization, positive parameters appear: the so-called orders of paraquantization p (= 1, 2, 3, ...) and h sub 0 (= 1/2, 1, 3/2, ...), respectively, the first value leading in each case to the usual statistics. The superpostion of the parabosonic and parafermionic operators gives rise to parasupermultiplets for which mixed trilinear relations have already been studied leading to two (nonequivalent) sets: the relative Parabose and the relative Parafermi ones. For the specific values p = 1 = 2h sub 0, these sets reduce to the well known supersymmetry. Coherent states associated with this last model have been recently put in evidence through the annihilation operator point of view and the group theoretical approach or displacement operator context. We propose to realize the corresponding studies within the new context p = 2 = 2h sub 0, being then directly extended to any order of paraquantization.

The concept of coherence is one of cornerstones in physics. The development of quantum information science has lead to renewed interest in properly approaching the coherence at the quantum level. Various measures could be proposed to quantify coherence of a quantum state with respect to the prescribed orthonormal basis. To be a proper measure of coherence, each candidate should enjoy certain properties. It seems that the monotonicity property plays a crucial role here. Indeed, there is known an intuitive measure of coherence that does not share this condition. We study coherence measures induced by quantum divergences of the Tsallis type. Basic properties of the considered coherence quantifiers are derived. Tradeoff relations between coherence and mixedness are examined. The property of monotonicity under incoherent selective measurements has to be reformulated. The proposed formulation can naturally be treated as a parametric extension of its standard form. Finally, two coherence measures quadratic in moduli of matrix elements are compared from the monotonicity viewpoint.

Collective behavior, where a set of elements interact and generate effects that are beyond the reach of the individual noninteracting elements, is always of great interest in physics. Quantum collective effects that have no classical analog are even more intriguing. In this work, we show how to construct collective quantum heat machines and explore their performance boosts with respect to regular machines. Without interactions between the machines, the individual units operate in a stochastic, nonquantum manner. The construction of the collective machine becomes possible by introducing two simple quantum operations: coherence extraction and coherence injection. Together, these operations can harvest coherence from one engine and use it to boost the performance of a slightly different engine. For weakly driven engines, we show that the collective work output scales quadratically with the number of engines rather than linearly. Eventually, the boost saturates and then becomes linear. Nevertheless, even in saturation, work is still significantly boosted compared to individual operation. To study the reversibility of the collective machine, we introduce the "entropy-pollution" measure. It is shown that there is a regime where the collective machine is N times more reversible while producing N times more work, compared to the individual operation of N units. Moreover, the collective machine can even be more reversible than the most reversible unit in the collective. This high level of reversibility becomes possible due to a special symbiotic mechanism between engine pairs.

Carefully engineered coherentquantum states have been proposed as a design attribute that is hypothesized to enable solar photovoltaic cells to break the detailed balance (or radiative) limit of power conversion efficiency by possibly causing radiative recombination to be suppressed. However, in full compliance with the principles of statistical mechanics and the laws of thermodynamics, specially prepared coherentquantum states do not allow a solar photovoltaic cell—a quantum threshold energy conversion device—to exceed the detailed balance limit of power conversion efficiency. At the condition given by steady-state open circuit operation with zero nonradiative recombination, the photon absorption rate (or carrier photogeneration rate) must balance the photon emission rate (or carrier radiative recombination rate) thus ensuring that detailed balance prevails. Quantum state transitions, entropy-generating hot carrier relaxation, and photon absorption and emission rate balancing are employed holistically and self-consistently along with calculations of current density, voltage, and power conversion efficiency to explain why detailed balance may not be violated in solar photovoltaic cells.

Motivated by the revealing features of the continuous-variable (CV) quantum cryptography, we suggest an arbitrated quantum signature (AQS) protocol with CV coherent states. It involves three participants, i.e., the signer Alice, the verifier Bob and the arbitrator Charlie who is trustworthy by Alice and Bob. Three phases initializing phase, signing phase and verifying phase are included in our protocol. The security of the signature scheme is guaranteed by the generation of the shared keys via the CV-based quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) and the implementation process of the CV-based quantum teleportation as well. Security analysis demonstrates that the signature can be neither forged by anyone nor disavowed by the receiver and signer. Moreover, the authenticity and integrality of the transmitted messages can be ensured. The paper shows that a potential high-speed quantum signature scheme with high detection efficiency and repetition rate can be realized when compared to the discrete-variable (DV) quantum signature scheme attributing to the well characteristics of CV-QKD.

We give the explicit expressions of the pairwise quantum correlations present in superpositions of multipartite coherent states. A special attention is devoted to the evaluation of the geometric quantum discord. The dynamics of quantum correlations under a dephasing channel is analyzed. A comparison of geometric measure of quantum discord with that of concurrence shows that quantum discord in multipartite coherent states is more resilient to dissipative environments than is quantum entanglement. To illustrate our results, we consider some special superpositions of Weyl-Heisenberg, SU(2) and SU(1,1) coherent states which interpolate between Werner and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states.

CONSPECTUS The theory of electronic structure of many-electron systems like molecules is extraordinarily complicated. A lot can be learned by considering how electron density is distributed, on average, in the average field of the other electrons in the system. That is, mean field theory. However, to describe quantitatively chemical bonds, reactions, and spectroscopy requires consideration of the way that electrons avoid each other by the way they move; this is called electron correlation (or in physics, the many-body problem for fermions). While great progress has been made in theory, there is a need for incisive experimental tests that can be undertaken for large molecular systems in the condensed phase. Here we report a two-dimensional (2D) optical coherent spectroscopy that correlates the double excited electronic states to constituent single excited states. The technique, termed two-dimensional double-coherence spectroscopy (2D-DQCS), makes use of multiple, time-ordered ultrashort coherent optical pulses to create double- and single-quantumcoherences over time intervals between the pulses. The resulting two-dimensional electronic spectrum maps the energy correlation between the first excited state and two-photon allowed double-quantum states. The principle of the experiment is that when the energy of the double-quantum state, viewed in simple models as a double HOMO to LUMO excitation, equals twice that of a single excitation, then no signal is radiated. However, electron-electron interactions—a combination of exchange interactions and electron correlation—in real systems generates a signal that reveals precisely how the energy of the double-quantum resonance differs from twice the single-quantum resonance. The energy shift measured in this experiment reveals how the second excitation is perturbed by both the presence of the first excitation and the way that the other electrons in the system have responded to the presence of that first excitation. We

Precisely characterizing and controlling realistic quantum systems under noises is a challenging frontier in quantum sciences and technologies. In developing reliable controls for open quantum systems, one is often confronted with the problem of the lack of knowledge on the system controllability. The purpose of this paper is to give a numerical approach to this problem, that is, to approximately compute the reachable set of states for coherently controlled quantum Markovian systems. The approximation consists of setting both upper and lower bounds for system's reachable region of states. Furthermore, we apply our reachability analysis to the control of the relaxation dynamics of a two-qubit nuclear magnetic resonance spin system. We implement some experimental tasks of quantum state engineering in this open system at a near optimal performance in view of purity: e.g., increasing polarization and preparing pseudopure states. These results demonstrate the usefulness of our theory and show interesting and promising applications of environment-assisted quantum dynamics.

From simple interference fringes, over molecular wave packets, to nonlinear optical patterns - the fundamental interaction between light and matter leads to the formation of structures in many areas of atomic and optical physics. Sophisticated technology in experimental quantum optics, as well as modern computational tools available to theorists, have led to spectacular achievements in the investigation of quantum structures. This special issue is dedicated to recent developments in this area. It presents a selection of examples where quantum dynamics, fluctuations, and coherence generate structures in time or in space or where such structures are observed experimentally. The examples range from coherence phenomena in condensed matter, over atoms in optical structures, entanglement in light and matter, to quantum patterns in nonlinear optics and quantum imaging. The combination of such seemingly diverse subjects formed the basis of a successful European TMR network, "Quantum Structures" (visit http://cnqo.phys.strath.ac.uk/~gianluca/QSTRUCT/). This special issue partly re.ects the results and collaborations of the network, going however well beyond its scope by including contributions from a global community and from many related topics which were not addressed directly in the network. The aim of this issue is to present side by side these di.erent topics, all of which are loosely summarized under quantum structures, to highlight their common aspects, their di.erences, and the progress which resulted from the mutual exchange of results, methods, and knowledge. To guide the reader, we have organized the articles into subsections which follow a rough division into structures in material systems and structures in optical .elds. Nevertheless, in the following introduction we point out connections between the contributions which go beyond these usual criteria, thus highlighting the truly interdisciplinary nature of quantum structures. Much of the progress in atom optics

We present a theoretical study of electron transport in Ni4 molecular transistors in the presence of Zeeman spin splitting and magnetic quantumcoherence (MQC). The Zeeman interaction is extended along the leads which produces gaps in the energy spectrum which allow electron transport with spin polarized along a certain direction. We show that the coherent states in resonance with the spin up or down states in the leads induces an effective coupling between localized spin states and continuum spin states in the single molecule magnet and leads, respectively. We investigate the conductance at zero temperature as a function of the applied bias and magnetic field by means of the Landauer formula, and show that the MQC is responsible for the appearence of resonances. Accordingly, we name them MQC resonances. PMID:24918902

We develop a systematic approach to determine and measure numerically the geometry of generic quantum or ‘fuzzy’ geometries realized by a set of finite-dimensional Hermitian matrices. The method is designed to recover the semi-classical limit of quantized symplectic spaces embedded in {{{R}}}d including the well-known examples of fuzzy spaces, but it applies much more generally. The central tool is provided by quasi-coherent states, which are defined as ground states of Laplace- or Dirac operators corresponding to localized point branes in target space. The displacement energy of these quasi-coherent states is used to extract the local dimension and tangent space of the semi-classical geometry, and provides a measure for the quality and self-consistency of the semi-classical approximation. The method is discussed and tested with various examples, and implemented in an open-source Mathematica package.

We report on an example of confined magnetic ions with long spin coherence near room temperature. This was achieved by confining single Mn2+ spins in colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and by dispersing the QDs in a proton-spin free matrix. The controlled suppression of Mn–Mn interactions and minimization of Mn–nuclear spin dipolar interactions result in unprecedentedly long phase memory (TM ~ 8 μs) and spin–lattice relaxation (T1 ~ 10 ms) time constants for Mn2+ ions at T = 4.5 K, and in electron spin coherence observable near room temperature (TM ~ 1 μs). PMID:26040432

We investigate experimentally the dynamics of true quantum kicked rotors - oxygen and nitrogen molecules subject to a sequence of more than 20 ultrashort laser pulses with peak intensities exceeding 1013 W/ cm2 per pulse. Using state-resolved rotational Raman spectroscopy, we show that the centrifugal distortion is the main obstacle in reaching high rotational states, as it results in the coherent oscillations of rotational population similar to Bloch oscillations in condensed matter. We demonstrate that the timing of the individual pulses can be optimized to partially mitigate the centrifugal limit and produce broader rotational wave packets with higher degrees of rotational coherence. Progress towards the experimental observation of Anderson localization in laser-kicked molecular rotors will be discussed.

The non-destructive detection of a single electron spin in a quantum dot (QD) is demonstrated using a time- averaged magneto-optical Kerr rotation measurementootnotetextJ. Berezovsky, M. H. Mikkelsen, O. Gywat, N. G. Stoltz, L. A. Coldren, and D. D. Awschalom, Science 314, 1916 (2006).. This technique provides a means to directly probe the spin off- resonance, thus minimally disturbing the system. Furthermore, the ability to sequentially initialize, manipulate, and read out the state of a qubit, such as an electron spin in a quantum dot, is necessary for virtually any scheme for quantum information processing. In addition to the time-averaged measurements, we have extended the single dot KR technique into the time domain with pulsed pump and probe lasers, allowing the observation of the coherent evolution of an electron spin stateootnotetextM. H. Mikkelsen, J. Berezovsky, N. G. Stoltz, L. A. Coldren, and D. D. Awschalom, Nature Physics 3, 770 (2007).. The dot is formed by interface fluctuations of a GaAs quantum well and embedded in a diode structure to allow controllable gating/charging of the QD. To enhance the small single spin signal, the QD is positioned within a vertical optical cavity. Observations of coherent single spin precession in an applied magnetic field allow a direct measurement of the electron g-factor and transverse spin lifetime. These measurements reveal information about the relevant spin decoherence mechanisms, while also providing a sensitive probe of the local nuclear spin environment. Finally, we have recently eveloped a scheme for high speed all-optical manipulation of the spin state that enables multiple operations within the coherence timeootnotetextJ. Berezovsky, M. H. Mikkelsen, N. G. Stoltz, L. A. Coldren, and D. D. Awschalom, accepted for publication (2008).. The results represent progress toward the control and coupling of single spins and photons for quantum information processingootnotetextS. Ghosh, W.H. Wang, F. M. Mendoza, R. C

Quantum mechanics, arguably one of the greatest achievements of modern physics, has not only fundamentally changed our understanding of nature but is also taking an ever increasing role in engineering. Today, the control of quantum systems has already had a far-reaching impact on time and frequency metrology. By gaining further control over a large variety of different quantum systems, many potential applications are emerging. Those applications range from the development of quantum sensors and new quantum metrological approaches to the realization of quantum information processors and quantum networks. Unfortunately most quantum systems are very fragile objects that require tremendous experimental effort to avoid dephasing. Being able to control the interaction between a quantum system with its local environment embodies therefore an important aspect for application and hence is at the focus of this thesis. Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) color centers in diamond have recently attracted attention as a room temperature solid state spin system that expresses long coherence times. The electronic spin associated with NV centers can be efficiently manipulated, initialized and readout using microwave and optical techniques. Inspired by these extraordinary properties, much effort has been dedicated to use NV centers as a building block for scalable room temperature quantum information processing and quantum communication as well as a quantum sensing. In the first part of this thesis we demonstrate that by decoupling the spin from the local environment the coherence time of a NV quantum register can be extended by three order of magnitudes. Employing a novel dissipative mechanism in combination with dynamical decoupling, memory times exceeding one second are observed. The second part shows that, based on quantum control, NV centers in nano-diamonds provide a nanoscale temperature sensor with unprecedented accuracy enabling local temperature measurements in living biological cells

We propose a decoy state quantum key distribution scheme with odd coherent state which follows sub-Poissonian distributed photon count and has low probability of the multi-photon event and vacuum event in each pulse. The numerical calculations show that our scheme can improve efficiently the key generation rate and secure communication distance. Furthermore, only one decoy state is necessary to approach to the perfect asymptotic limit with infinite decoy states in our scheme, but at least two decoy states are needed in other scheme.

The control of atoms and molecules using coherent light fields has been a longstanding goal in chemical physics. I will discuss experiments which use a programmable pulse shaper to control the quantum state of electronic wavepackets in Rydberg atoms and nuclear dynamics in molecular liquids. The shape of Rydberg wavepackets was controlled by using tailored ultrafast laser pulses to excite a beam of cesium atoms. The quantum state of these atoms was measured using holographic techniques borrowed from optics. The experiments with molecular liquids involved the contstruction of an automated learning machine. A Genetic Algorithm directed the choice of shaped pulses which interacted with the molecular system inside a learning control loop. Analysis of successful pulse shapes that were found by the algorithm yield insight into the systems being controlled.

We consider the electromagnetic field generated by a coherent conductor in which electron transport is described quantum mechanically. We obtain an input-output relation linking the quantum current in the conductor to the measured electromagnetic field. This allows us to compute the outcome of measurements on the field in terms of the statistical properties of the current. We moreover show how under ac bias the conductor acts as a tunable medium for the field, allowing for the generation of single- and two-mode squeezing through fermionic reservoir engineering. These results explain the recently observed squeezing using normal tunnel junctions [G. Gasse et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 136601 (2013); J.-C. Forgues et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 130403 (2015)].

We consider the electromagnetic field generated by a coherent conductor in which electron transport is described quantum mechanically. We obtain an input-output relation linking the quantum current in the conductor to the measured electromagnetic field. This allows us to compute the outcome of measurements on the field in terms of the statistical properties of the current. We moreover show how under ac bias the conductor acts as a tunable medium for the field, allowing for the generation of single- and two-mode squeezing through fermionic reservoir engineering. These results explain the recently observed squeezing using normal tunnel junctions [G. Gasse et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 136601 (2013); J.-C. Forgues et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 130403 (2015)]. PMID:26871330

As an emergent model system for condensed matter physics and a promising electronic material, graphene's electrical transport properties has become a subject of intense focus. Via low temperature transport spectroscopy on single and bi-layer graphene devices, we show that the minimum conductivity value is geometry dependent and approaches the theoretical value of 4e^2/πh only for wide and short graphene strips. Moreover, we observe periodic conductance oscillations with bias and gate voltages, arising from quantum interference of multiply-reflected waves of charges in graphene. When graphene is coupled to superconducting electrodes, we observe gate tunable supercurrent and sub-gap structures, which originate from multiple Andreev reflection at the graphene-superconductor interfaces. Our results demonstrate that graphene can act as a quantum billiard with a long phase coherence length. This work was supported in part by DOD/DMEA-H94003-06-2-0608.

objectives of key generation and direct data-encryption, a new quantum cryptographic principle is demonstrated wherein keyed coherent-state signal sets are employed. Taking advantage of the fundamental and irreducible quantum-measurement noise of coherent states, these schemes do not require the users to measure the influence of an attacker. Experimental key-generation and data encryption schemes based on these techniques, which are compatible with today's WDM fiber-optic telecommunications infrastructure, are implemented and analyzed.

The security of a cryptographic key that is generated by communication through a noisy quantum channel relies on the ability to distill a shorter secure key sequence from a longer insecure one. We show that - for protocols that use quantum channels of any dimension and completely characterize them by state tomography - the noise threshold for classical advantage distillation of a specific kind is substantially lower than the threshold for quantum entanglement distillation if the eavesdropper can perform powerful coherent attacks. In marked contrast, earlier investigations had shown that the thresholds are identical for incoherent attacks on the same classical distillation scheme. It remains an open question whether other schemes for classical advantage distillation have higher thresholds for coherent eavesdropping attacks.

We propose computing bus devices that enable quantum information to be coherently transferred between topological and conventional qubits. We describe a concrete realization of such a topological quantum bus acting between a topological qubit in a Majorana wire network and a conventional semiconductor double quantum dot qubit. Specifically, this device measures the joint (fermion) parity of these two different qubits by using the Aharonov-Casher effect in conjunction with an ancilliary superconducting flux qubit that facilitates the measurement. Such a parity measurement, together with the ability to apply Hadamard gates to the two qubits, allows one to produce states in which the topological and conventional qubits are maximally entangled and to teleport quantum states between the topological and conventional quantum systems.

We propose computing bus devices that enable quantum information to be coherently transferred between topological and conventional qubits. We describe a concrete realization of such a topological quantum bus acting between a topological qubit in a Majorana wire network and a conventional semiconductor double quantum dot qubit. Specifically, this device measures the joint (fermion) parity of these two different qubits by using the Aharonov-Casher effect in conjunction with an ancilliary superconducting flux qubit that facilitates the measurement. Such a parity measurement, together with the ability to apply Hadamard gates to the two qubits, allows one to produce states in which the topological and conventional qubits are maximally entangled and to teleport quantum states between the topological and conventional quantum systems. PMID:21517366

Quantum continuous variables are being explored as an alternative means to implement quantum key distribution, which is usually based on single photon counting. The former approach is potentially advantageous because it should enable higher key distribution rates. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate a quantum key distribution protocol based on the transmission of gaussian-modulated coherent states (consisting of laser pulses containing a few hundred photons) and shot-noise-limited homodyne detection; squeezed or entangled beams are not required. Complete secret key extraction is achieved using a reverse reconciliation technique followed by privacy amplification. The reverse reconciliation technique is in principle secure for any value of the line transmission, against gaussian individual attacks based on entanglement and quantum memories. Our table-top experiment yields a net key transmission rate of about 1.7 megabits per second for a loss-free line, and 75 kilobits per second for a line with losses of 3.1dB. We anticipate that the scheme should remain effective for lines with higher losses, particularly because the present limitations are essentially technical, so that significant margin for improvement is available on both the hardware and software.

Quantum continuous variables are being explored as an alternative means to implement quantum key distribution, which is usually based on single photon counting. The former approach is potentially advantageous because it should enable higher key distribution rates. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate a quantum key distribution protocol based on the transmission of gaussian-modulated coherent states (consisting of laser pulses containing a few hundred photons) and shot-noise-limited homodyne detection; squeezed or entangled beams are not required. Complete secret key extraction is achieved using a reverse reconciliation technique followed by privacy amplification. The reverse reconciliation technique is in principle secure for any value of the line transmission, against gaussian individual attacks based on entanglement and quantum memories. Our table-top experiment yields a net key transmission rate of about 1.7 megabits per second for a loss-free line, and 75 kilobits per second for a line with losses of 3.1 dB. We anticipate that the scheme should remain effective for lines with higher losses, particularly because the present limitations are essentially technical, so that significant margin for improvement is available on both the hardware and software. PMID:12529636

A genuine feature of projective quantum measurements is that they inevitably alter the mean energy of the observed system if the measured quantity does not commute with the Hamiltonian. Compared to the classical case, Jacobs proved that this additional energetic cost leads to a stronger bound on the work extractable after a single measurement from a system initially in thermal equilibrium (2009 Phys. Rev. A 80 012322). Here, we extend this bound to a large class of feedback-driven quantum engines operating periodically and in finite time. The bound thus implies a natural definition for the efficiency of information to work conversion in such devices. For a simple model consisting of a laser-driven two-level system, we maximize the efficiency with respect to the observable whose measurement is used to control the feedback operations. We find that the optimal observable typically does not commute with the Hamiltonian and hence would not be available in a classical two level system. This result reveals that periodic feedback engines operating in the quantum realm can exploit quantumcoherences to enhance efficiency.

From simple interference fringes, over molecular wave packets, to nonlinear optical patterns - the fundamental interaction between light and matter leads to the formation of structures in many areas of atomic and optical physics. Sophisticated technology in experimental quantum optics, as well as modern computational tools available to theorists, have led to spectacular achievements in the investigation of quantum structures. This special issue is dedicated to recent developments in this area. It presents a selection of examples where quantum dynamics, fluctuations, and coherence generate structures in time or in space or where such structures are observed experimentally. The examples range from coherence phenomena in condensed matter, over atoms in optical structures, entanglement in light and matter, to quantum patterns in nonlinear optics and quantum imaging. The combination of such seemingly diverse subjects formed the basis of a successful European TMR network, "Quantum Structures" (visit http://cnqo.phys.strath.ac.uk/~gianluca/QSTRUCT/). This special issue partly re.ects the results and collaborations of the network, going however well beyond its scope by including contributions from a global community and from many related topics which were not addressed directly in the network. The aim of this issue is to present side by side these di.erent topics, all of which are loosely summarized under quantum structures, to highlight their common aspects, their di.erences, and the progress which resulted from the mutual exchange of results, methods, and knowledge. To guide the reader, we have organized the articles into subsections which follow a rough division into structures in material systems and structures in optical .elds. Nevertheless, in the following introduction we point out connections between the contributions which go beyond these usual criteria, thus highlighting the truly interdisciplinary nature of quantum structures. Much of the progress in atom optics

A genetic annealing model for the universal ancestor of all extant life is presented; the name of the model derives from its resemblance to physical annealing. The scenario pictured starts when "genetic temperatures" were very high, cellular entities (progenotes) were very simple, and information processing systems were inaccurate. Initially, both mutation rate and lateral gene transfer levels were elevated. The latter was pandemic and pervasive to the extent that it, not vertical inheritance, defined the evolutionary dynamic. As increasingly complex and precise biological structures and processes evolved, both the mutation rate and the scope and level of lateral gene transfer, i.e., evolutionary temperature, dropped, and the evolutionary dynamic gradually became that characteristic of modern cells. The various subsystems of the cell "crystallized," i.e., became refractory to lateral gene transfer, at different stages of "cooling," with the translation apparatus probably crystallizing first. Organismal lineages, and so organisms as we know them, did not exist at these early stages. The universal phylogenetic tree, therefore, is not an organismal tree at its base but gradually becomes one as its peripheral branchings emerge. The universal ancestor is not a discrete entity. It is, rather, a diverse community of cells that survives and evolves as a biological unit. This communal ancestor has a physical history but not a genealogical one. Over time, this ancestor refined into a smaller number of increasingly complex cell types with the ancestors of the three primary groupings of organisms arising as a result.

A genetic annealing model for the universal ancestor of all extant life is presented; the name of the model derives from its resemblance to physical annealing. The scenario pictured starts when ``genetic temperatures'' were very high, cellular entities (progenotes) were very simple, and information processing systems were inaccurate. Initially, both mutation rate and lateral gene transfer levels were elevated. The latter was pandemic and pervasive to the extent that it, not vertical inheritance, defined the evolutionary dynamic. As increasingly complex and precise biological structures and processes evolved, both the mutation rate and the scope and level of lateral gene transfer, i.e., evolutionary temperature, dropped, and the evolutionary dynamic gradually became that characteristic of modern cells. The various subsystems of the cell ``crystallized,'' i.e., became refractory to lateral gene transfer, at different stages of ``cooling,'' with the translation apparatus probably crystallizing first. Organismal lineages, and so organisms as we know them, did not exist at these early stages. The universal phylogenetic tree, therefore, is not an organismal tree at its base but gradually becomes one as its peripheral branchings emerge. The universal ancestor is not a discrete entity. It is, rather, a diverse community of cells that survives and evolves as a biological unit. This communal ancestor has a physical history but not a genealogical one. Over time, this ancestor refined into a smaller number of increasingly complex cell types with the ancestors of the three primary groupings of organisms arising as a result.

The absorption of one photon by a semiconductor material usually creates one electron-hole pair. However, this general rule breaks down in a few organic semiconductors, such as pentacene and tetracene, where one photon absorption may result in two electron-hole pairs. This process, where a singlet exciton transforms to two triplet excitons, can have quantum yields as high as 200%. Singlet fission may be useful to solar cell technologies to increase the power conversion efficiency beyond the so-called Shockley-Queisser limit. Through time-resolved two-photon photoemission (TR-2PPE) spectroscopy in crystalline pentacene and tetracene, our lab has recently provided the first spectroscopic signatures in singlet fission of a critical intermediate known as the multiexciton state (also called a correlated triplet pair). More importantly, we found that population of the multiexciton state rises at the same time as the singlet state on the ultrafast time scale upon photoexcitation. This observation does not fit with the traditional view of singlet fission involving the incoherent conversion of a singlet to a triplet pair. However, it provides an experimental foundation for a quantumcoherent mechanism in which the electronic coupling creates a quantum superposition of the singlet and the multiexciton state immediately after optical excitation. In this Account, we review key experimental findings from TR-2PPE experiments and present a theoretical analysis of the quantumcoherent mechanism based on electronic structural and density matrix calculations for crystalline tetracene lattices. Using multistate density functional theory, we find that the direct electronic coupling between singlet and multiexciton states is too weak to explain the experimental observation. Instead, indirect coupling via charge transfer intermediate states is two orders of magnitude stronger, and dominates the dynamics for ultrafast multiexciton formation. Density matrix calculation for the crystalline

Coherent control of quantum states is at the heart of implementing solid-state quantum processors and testing quantum mechanics at the macroscopic level. Despite significant progress made in recent years in controlling single- and bi-partite quantum systems, coherent control of quantum wave function in multipartite systems involving artificial solid-state qubits has been hampered due to the relatively short decoherence time and lack of precise control methods. Here we report the creation and coherent manipulation of quantum states in a tripartite quantum system, which is formed by a superconducting qubit coupled to two microscopic two-level systems (TLSs). The avoided crossings in the system's energy-level spectrum due to the qubit–TLS interaction act as tunable quantum beam splitters of wave functions. Our result shows that the Landau–Zener–Stückelberg interference has great potential in precise control of the quantum states in the tripartite system. PMID:20975719

Coherent control of quantum states is at the heart of implementing solid-state quantum processors and testing quantum mechanics at the macroscopic level. Despite significant progress made in recent years in controlling single- and bi-partite quantum systems, coherent control of quantum wave function in multipartite systems involving artificial solid-state qubits has been hampered due to the relatively short decoherence time and lack of precise control methods. Here we report the creation and coherent manipulation of quantum states in a tripartite quantum system, which is formed by a superconducting qubit coupled to two microscopic two-level systems (TLSs). The avoided crossings in the system's energy-level spectrum due to the qubit-TLS interaction act as tunable quantum beam splitters of wave functions. Our result shows that the Landau-Zener-Stückelberg interference has great potential in precise control of the quantum states in the tripartite system. PMID:20975719

Thermal light, such as sunlight, is usually considered classical light. In a macroscopic picture, classical theory successfully explained the first-order coherence phenomena of thermal light. The macroscopic theory, based on the statistical behavior of light intensity fluctuations, however, can only phenomenologically explain the second- or higher-order coherence phenomena of thermal light. This thesis introduces a microscopic quantum picture, based on the interferences of a large number of randomly distributed and randomly radiated subfields, wavepackets or photons, to the study of high-order coherence of thermal light. This thesis concludes that the second-order intensity fluctuation correlation is caused by nonlocal interference: a pair of wavepackets, which are randomly paired together, interferes with the pair itself at two distant space-time coordinates. This study has the following practical motivations: (1) to simulate N-qbits. Practical quantum computing requires quantum bits(qubits) of N-digit to represent all possible integers from 0 to 2N-1 simultaneously. A large number of independent particles can be prepared to represent a large set of N orthogonal |0> and |1> bits. In fact, based on our recent experiments of simulating the high-order correlation of entangled photons, thermal radiation is suggested as a promising source for quantum information processing. (2) to achieve sunlight ghost imaging. Ghost imaging has three attractive non-classical features: (a) the ghost camera can "see" targets that can never be seen by a classic camera; (2) it is turbulence-free; and (3) its spatial resolution is mainly determined by the angular diameter of the light source. For example, a sunlight ghost image of an object on earth may achieve a spatial resolution of 200 micrometer because the angular diameter of sun is 0.53 degree with respect to Earth. Although ghost imaging has been experimental demonstrated by using entangled photon pairs and "pseudo-thermal light

Precisely characterizing and controlling the dynamics of realistic open quantum systems has emerged in recent years as a key challenge across contemporary quantum sciences and technologies, with implications ranging from physics, chemistry and applied mathematics to quantum information processing (QIP) and quantum engineering. Quantum control theory aims to provide both a general dynamical-system framework and a constructive toolbox to meet this challenge. The purpose of this special issue of Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics is to present a state-of-the-art account of recent advances and current trends in the field, as reflected in two international meetings that were held on the subject over the last summer and which motivated in part the compilation of this volume—the Topical Group: Frontiers in Open Quantum Systems and Quantum Control Theory, held at the Institute for Theoretical Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (ITAMP) in Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA), from 1-14 August 2010, and the Safed Workshop on Quantum Decoherence and Thermodynamics Control, held in Safed (Israel), from 22-27 August 2010. Initial developments in quantum control theory date back to (at least) the early 1980s, and have been largely inspired by the well-established mathematical framework for classical dynamical systems. As the above-mentioned meetings made clear, and as the burgeoning body of literature on the subject testifies, quantum control has grown since then well beyond its original boundaries, and has by now evolved into a highly cross-disciplinary field which, while still fast-moving, is also entering a new phase of maturity, sophistication, and integration. Two trends deserve special attention: on the one hand, a growing emphasis on control tasks and methodologies that are specifically motivated by QIP, in addition and in parallel to applications in more traditional areas where quantumcoherence is nevertheless vital (such as, for instance

Coherence in light–matter interaction is a necessary ingredient if light is used to control the quantum state of a material system. Coherent effects are firmly associated with isolated systems kept at low temperature. The exceedingly fast dephasing in condensed matter environments, in particular at elevated temperatures, may well erase all coherent information in the material at timescales shorter than a laser excitation pulse. Here we show for an ensemble of semiconductor quantum dots that even in the presence of ultrafast dephasing, for suitably designed condensed matter systems quantum-coherent effects are robust enough to be observable at room temperature. Our conclusions are based on an analysis of the reshaping an ultrafast laser pulse undergoes on propagation through a semiconductor quantum dot amplifier. We show that this pulse modification contains the signature of coherent light–matter interaction and can be controlled by adjusting the population of the quantum dots via electrical injection. PMID:24336000

Classical theories of coherence for statistically stationary, as well as, nonstationary optical fields are frequently discussed both in the space-time and in the space-frequency domains. However, the quantum treatment of coherence theory is generally carried out in the space-time domain. In this paper, we present a quantum-mechanical theory of first-order coherence for statistically nonstationary light in the space-frequency domain.

Models of universal quantum computation in which the required interactions between register (computational) qubits are mediated by some ancillary system are highly relevant to experimental realizations of a quantum computer. We introduce such a universal model that employs a d -dimensional ancillary qudit. The ancilla-register interactions take the form of controlled displacements operators, with a displacement operator defined on the periodic and discrete lattice phase space of a qudit. We show that these interactions can implement controlled phase gates on the register by utilizing geometric phases that are created when closed loops are traversed in this phase space. The extra degrees of freedom of the ancilla can be harnessed to reduce the number of operations required for certain gate sequences. In particular, we see that the computational advantages of the quantum bus (qubus) architecture, which employs a field-mode ancilla, are also applicable to this model. We then explore an alternative ancilla-mediated model which employs a spin ensemble as the ancillary system and again the interactions with the register qubits are via controlled displacement operators, with a displacement operator defined on the Bloch sphere phase space of the spin coherent states of the ensemble. We discuss the computational advantages of this model and its relationship with the qubus architecture.

Image projection relies on classical wave mechanics and the use of natural or engineered structures such as lenses or resonant cavities. Well-known examples include the bending of light to create mirages in the atmosphere, and the focusing of sound by whispering galleries. However, the observation of analogous phenomena in condensed matter systems is a more recent development, facilitated by advances in nanofabrication. Here we report the projection of the electronic structure surrounding a magnetic Co atom to a remote location on the surface of a Cu crystal; electron partial waves scattered from the real Co atom are coherently refocused to form a spectral image or 'quantum mirage'. The focusing device is an elliptical quantum corral, assembled on the Cu surface. The corral acts as a quantum mechanical resonator, while the two-dimensional Cu surface-state electrons form the projection medium. When placed on the surface, Co atoms display a distinctive spectroscopic signature, known as the many-particle Kondo resonance, which arises from their magnetic moment. By positioning a Co atom at one focus of the ellipse, we detect a strong Kondo signature not only at the atom, but also at the empty focus. This behaviour contrasts with the usual spatially-decreasing response of an electron gas to a localized perturbation. PMID:10676952

Quantumcoherent feedback control is a measurement-free control method fully preserving quantumcoherence. In this paper we show how time-delayed quantumcoherent feedback can be used to control the degree of squeezing in the output field of a cavity containing a degenerate parametric oscillator. We focus on the specific situation of Pyragas-type feedback control where time-delayed signals are fed back directly into the quantum system. Our results show how time-delayed feedback can enhance or decrease the degree of squeezing as a function of time delay and feedback strength.

We discuss the use of inequalities of the Leggett-Garg type (LGtI) to witness quantumcoherence and present the first experimental violation of this type of inequalities using a light-matter interfaced system. By separately benchmarking the Markovian character of the evolution and the translational invariance of the conditional probabilities, the observed violation of a LGtI is attributed to the quantumcoherent character of the process. These results provide a general method to benchmark "quantumness" when the absence of memory effects can be independently certified and confirm the persistence of quantumcoherent features within systems of increasing complexity.

We investigate the influence of photon excitations on quantum correlations in tripartite Glauber coherent states of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger type (GHZ-type). The pairwise correlations are measured by means of the entropy-based quantum discord. We also analyze the monogamy property of quantum discord in this class of tripartite states in terms of the strength of Glauber coherent states and the photon excitation order.

We present measurements of the electron phase coherence time tau(varphi) on a wide range of open ballistic quantum dots (QDs) made from InGaAs heterostructures. The observed saturation of tau(varphi) below temperatures 0.5 K

We present measurements of the electron phase coherence time τϕ on a wide range of open ballistic quantum dots (QDs) made from InGaAs heterostructures. The observed saturation of τϕ below temperatures 0.5 K

Quantum state transfer (QST) is an important task in quantum information processing. In this study, we describe two approaches for the high-fidelity transfer of a quantum state between two opposite quantum dots attached to a multi-channel quantum network. First, we demonstrate that a high-efficiency QST can be achieved with the coherent time evolution of a quantum system without any external control. Second, we present an approach that uses an alternative mechanism for a high-fidelity QST. By adiabatically varying tunnel couplings, it is possible to implement the complete transmission of a quantum state based on this quantum mechanical mechanism.

Optical properties of ensembles of realistic quantum emitters coupled to plasmonic systems are studied by using adequate models that can take into account full atomic geometry. In particular, the coherent effects such as forming "dark states," optical pumping, coherent Raman scattering, and the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) are revisited in the presence of metallic nanoparticles. It is shown that the dark states are still formed but they have more complicated structure, and the optical pumping and the STIRAP cannot be employed in the vicinity of plasmonic nanostructures. Also, there is a huge difference in the behavior of the local atomic polarization and the atomic polarization averaged over an ensemble of atoms homogeneously spread near nanoparticles. The average polarization is strictly related to the polarization induced by the external field, while the local polarization can be very different from the one induced by the external field. This is important for the excitation of single molecules, e.g., different components of scattering from single molecules can be used for their efficient detection.

The effects of general noncommutativity of operators on producing deformed coherent squeezed states is examined in phase space. A two-dimensional noncommutative (NC) quantum system supported by a deformed mathematical structure, similar to that of Hadamard billiard, is obtained and the components behaviour is monitored in time. It is assumed that the independent degrees of freedom are two free 1D harmonic oscillators (HOs), so the system Hamiltonian does not contain interaction terms. Through the NC deformation parameterized by a Seiberg-Witten transform on the original canonical variables, one gets the standard commutation relations for the new ones, such that the obtained, new, Hamiltonian represents two interacting 1D HOs. By admitting that one HO is inverted relatively to the other, we show that their effective interaction induces a squeezing dynamics for initial coherent states imaged in the phase space. A suitable pattern of logarithmic spirals is obtained and some relevant properties are discussed in terms of Wigner functions, which are essential to put in evidence the effects of the noncommutativity.

Recent evidence suggests that quantum effects may have functional importance in biological light-harvesting systems. Along with delocalized electronic excitations, it is now suspected that quantumcoherent interactions with certain near-resonant vibrations may contribute to light-harvesting performance. However, the actual quantum advantage offered by such coherent vibrational interactions has not yet been established. We investigate a quantum design principle, whereby coherent exchange of single energy quanta between electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom can enhance a light-harvesting system’s power above what is possible by thermal mechanisms alone. We present a prototype quantum heat engine which cleanly illustrates this quantum design principle and quantifies its quantum advantage using thermodynamic measures of performance. We also demonstrate the principle’s relevance in parameter regimes connected to natural light-harvesting structures.

An important goal in the manipulation of quantum systems is the achievement of many coherent oscillations within the characteristic dephasing time T2*. Most manipulations of electron spins in quantum dots have focused on the construction and control of two-state quantum systems, or qubits, in which each quantum dot is occupied by a single electron. Here we perform quantum manipulations on a system with three electrons per double quantum dot. We demonstrate that tailored pulse sequences can be used to induce coherent rotations between three-electron quantum states. Certain pulse sequences yield coherent oscillations fast enough that more than 100 oscillations are visible within a T2* time. The minimum oscillation frequency we observe is faster than 5 GHz. The presence of the third electron enables very fast rotations to all possible states, in contrast to the case when only two electrons are used, in which some rotations are slow.

We compute the quantum entropy for monomode and two-mode systems set in squeezed states. Thereafter, the quantum entropy is also calculated for angular momentum algebra when the system is either in a coherent or in an intelligent spin state. These values are compared with the corresponding values of the respective uncertainties. In general, quantum entropies and uncertainties have the same minimum and maximum points. However, for coherent and intelligent spin states, it is found that some minima for the quantum entropy turn out to be uncertainty maxima. We feel that the quantum entropy we use provides the right answer, since it is given in an essentially unique way.

The unique properties of quantum hall devices arise from the ideal one-dimensional edge states that form in a two-dimensional electron system at high magnetic field. Tunnelling between edge states across a quantum point contact (QPC) has already revealed rich physics, like fractionally charged excitations, or chiral Luttinger liquid. Thanks to scanning gate microscopy, we show that a single QPC can turn into an interferometer for specific potential landscapes. Spectroscopy, magnetic field and temperature dependences of electron transport reveal a quantitatively consistent interferometric behavior of the studied QPC. To explain this unexpected behavior, we put forward a new model which relies on the presence of a quantum Hall island at the centre of the constriction as well as on different tunnelling paths surrounding the island, thereby creating a new type of interferometer. This work sets the ground for new device concepts based on coherent tunnelling. PMID:23475303

The unique properties of quantum hall devices arise from the ideal one-dimensional edge states that form in a two-dimensional electron system at high magnetic field. Tunnelling between edge states across a quantum point contact (QPC) has already revealed rich physics, like fractionally charged excitations, or chiral Luttinger liquid. Thanks to scanning gate microscopy, we show that a single QPC can turn into an interferometer for specific potential landscapes. Spectroscopy, magnetic field and temperature dependences of electron transport reveal a quantitatively consistent interferometric behavior of the studied QPC. To explain this unexpected behavior, we put forward a new model which relies on the presence of a quantum Hall island at the centre of the constriction as well as on different tunnelling paths surrounding the island, thereby creating a new type of interferometer. This work sets the ground for new device concepts based on coherent tunnelling. PMID:23475303

In the framework of open quantum systems, we study the dynamics of a static polarizable two-level atom interacting with a bath of fluctuating vacuum electromagnetic field and explore under which conditions the coherence of the open quantum system is unaffected by the environment. For both a single-qubit and two-qubit systems, we find that the quantumcoherence cannot be protected from noise when the atom interacts with a non-boundary electromagnetic field. However, with the presence of a boundary, the dynamical conditions for the insusceptible of quantumcoherence are fulfilled only when the atom is close to the boundary and is transversely polarizable. Otherwise, the quantumcoherence can only be protected in some degree in other polarizable direction.

We propose a scheme for creation and transfer of coherence among ground state and indirect exciton states of triple quantum dots via the technique of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage. Compared with the traditional stimulated Raman adiabatic passage, the Stokes laser pulse is replaced by the tunneling pulse, which can be controlled by the externally applied voltages. By varying the amplitudes and sequences of the pump and tunneling pulses, a complete coherence transfer or an equal coherence distribution among multiple states can be obtained. The investigations can provide further insight for the experimental development of controllable coherence transfer in semiconductor structure and may have potential applications in quantum information processing.

Recent observations of excitonic coherences within photosynthetic complexes suggest that quantumcoherences could enhance biological light harvesting efficiencies. Here, we employ optical pump-probe spectroscopy with few-femtosecond pulses to observe an excitonic quantumcoherence in CdSe nanocrystals, a prototypical artificial light harvesting system. This coherence, which encodes the high-speed migration of charge over nanometer length scales, is also found to markedly alter the displacement amplitudes of phonons, signaling dynamics in the non-Born-Oppenheimer regime. PMID:26359970

We propose a scheme for creation and transfer of coherence among ground state and indirect exciton states of triple quantum dots via the technique of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage. Compared with the traditional stimulated Raman adiabatic passage, the Stokes laser pulse is replaced by the tunneling pulse, which can be controlled by the externally applied voltages. By varying the amplitudes and sequences of the pump and tunneling pulses, a complete coherence transfer or an equal coherence distribution among multiple states can be obtained. The investigations can provide further insight for the experimental development of controllable coherence transfer in semiconductor structure and may have potential applications in quantum information processing. PMID:27107772

Weak coherent states as a photon source for quantum cryptography have a limit in secure data rate and transmission distance because of the presence of multiphoton events and loss in transmission line. Two-photon events in a coherent state can be taken out by a two-photon interference scheme. We investigate the security issue of utilizing this modified coherent state in quantum cryptography. A 4-dB improvement in the secure data rate or a nearly twofold increase in transmission distance over the coherent state are found. With a recently proposed and improved encoding strategy, further improvement is possible.

Coherent manipulation of quantum systems with light is expected to be a cornerstone of future information and communication technology, including quantum computation and cryptography. The transfer of an optical phase onto a quantum wavefunction is a defining aspect of coherent interactions and forms the basis of quantum state preparation, synchronization and metrology. Light-phase-modulated electron states near atoms and molecules are essential for the techniques of attosecond science, including the generation of extreme-ultraviolet pulses and orbital tomography. In contrast, the quantum-coherent phase-modulation of energetic free-electron beams has not been demonstrated, although it promises direct access to ultrafast imaging and spectroscopy with tailored electron pulses on the attosecond scale. Here we demonstrate the coherentquantum state manipulation of free-electron populations in an electron microscope beam. We employ the interaction of ultrashort electron pulses with optical near-fields to induce Rabi oscillations in the populations of electron momentum states, observed as a function of the optical driving field. Excellent agreement with the scaling of an equal-Rabi multilevel quantum ladder is obtained, representing the observation of a light-driven `quantum walk' coherently reshaping electron density in momentum space. We note that, after the interaction, the optically generated superposition of momentum states evolves into a train of attosecond electron pulses. Our results reveal the potential of quantum control for the precision structuring of electron densities, with possible applications ranging from ultrafast electron spectroscopy and microscopy to accelerator science and free-electron lasers.

To determine the ultimate performance limitations imposed by quantum effects, it is also essential to consider optimum quantum-state generation. Certain 'generalized' coherent states of the radiation field possess novel quantum noise characteristics that offer the potential for greatly improved optical communications. These states have been called two-photon coherent states because they can be generated, in principle, by stimulated two-photon processes. The use of two-photon coherent state (TCS) radiation in free-space optical communications is considered. A simple theory of quantum state propagation is developed. The theory provides the basis for representing the free-space channel in a quantum-mechanical form convenient for communication analysis. The new theory is applied to TCS radiation.

Strongly coupled quantum dot-cavity systems provide a non-linear configuration of hybridized light-matter states with promising quantum-optical applications. Here, we investigate the coherent interaction between strong laser pulses and quantum dot-cavity polaritons. Resonant excitation of polaritonic states and their interaction with phonons allow us to observe coherent Rabi oscillations and Ramsey fringes. Furthermore, we demonstrate complete coherent control of a quantum dot-photonic crystal cavity based quantum-bit. By controlling the excitation power and phase in a two-pulse excitation scheme we achieve access to the full Bloch sphere. Quantum-optical simulations are in good agreement with our experiments and provide insight into the decoherence mechanisms. PMID:27112420

Strongly coupled quantum dot-cavity systems provide a non-linear configuration of hybridized light-matter states with promising quantum-optical applications. Here, we investigate the coherent interaction between strong laser pulses and quantum dot-cavity polaritons. Resonant excitation of polaritonic states and their interaction with phonons allow us to observe coherent Rabi oscillations and Ramsey fringes. Furthermore, we demonstrate complete coherent control of a quantum dot-photonic crystal cavity based quantum-bit. By controlling the excitation power and phase in a two-pulse excitation scheme we achieve access to the full Bloch sphere. Quantum-optical simulations are in good agreement with our experiments and provide insight into the decoherence mechanisms. PMID:27112420

Strongly coupled quantum dot-cavity systems provide a non-linear configuration of hybridized light-matter states with promising quantum-optical applications. Here, we investigate the coherent interaction between strong laser pulses and quantum dot-cavity polaritons. Resonant excitation of polaritonic states and their interaction with phonons allow us to observe coherent Rabi oscillations and Ramsey fringes. Furthermore, we demonstrate complete coherent control of a quantum dot-photonic crystal cavity based quantum-bit. By controlling the excitation power and phase in a two-pulse excitation scheme we achieve access to the full Bloch sphere. Quantum-optical simulations are in good agreement with our experiments and provide insight into the decoherence mechanisms.

The second law of thermodynamics places a limitation into which states a system can evolve into. For systems in contact with a heat bath, it can be combined with the law of energy conservation, and it says that a system can only evolve into another if the free energy goes down. Recently, it's been shown that there are actually many second laws, and that it is only for large macroscopic systems that they all become equivalent to the ordinary one. These additional second laws also hold for quantum systems, and are, in fact, often more relevant in this regime. They place a restriction on how the probabilities of energy levels can evolve. Here, we consider additional restrictions on how the coherences between energy levels can evolve. Coherences can only go down, and we provide a set of restrictions which limit the extent to which they can be maintained. We find that coherences over energy levels must decay at rates that are suitably adapted to the transition rates between energy levels. We show that the limitations are matched in the case of a single qubit, in which case we obtain the full characterization of state-to-state transformations. For higher dimensions, we conjecture that more severe constraints exist. We also introduce a new class of thermodynamical operations which allow for greater manipulation of coherences and study its power with respect to a class of operations known as thermal operations.

The second law of thermodynamics places a limitation into which states a system can evolve into. For systems in contact with a heat bath, it can be combined with the law of energy conservation, and it says that a system can only evolve into another if the free energy goes down. Recently, it's been shown that there are actually many second laws, and that it is only for large macroscopic systems that they all become equivalent to the ordinary one. These additional second laws also hold for quantum systems, and are, in fact, often more relevant in this regime. They place a restriction on how the probabilities of energy levels can evolve. Here, we consider additional restrictions on how the coherences between energy levels can evolve. Coherences can only go down, and we provide a set of restrictions which limit the extent to which they can be maintained. We find that coherences over energy levels must decay at rates that are suitably adapted to the transition rates between energy levels. We show that the limitations are matched in the case of a single qubit, in which case we obtain the full characterization of state-to-state transformations. For higher dimensions, we conjecture that more severe constraints exist. We also introduce a new class of thermodynamical operations which allow for greater manipulation of coherences and study its power with respect to a class of operations known as thermal operations. PMID:26636834

In the quantum world, a single particle can have various degrees of freedom to encode quantum information. Controlling multiple degrees of freedom simultaneously is necessary to describe a particle fully and, therefore, to use it more efficiently. Here we introduce the transverse waveguide-mode degree of freedom to quantum photonic integrated circuits, and demonstrate the coherent conversion of a photonic quantum state between path, polarization and transverse waveguide-mode degrees of freedom on a single chip. The preservation of quantumcoherence in these conversion processes is proven by single-photon and two-photon quantum interference using a fibre beam splitter or on-chip beam splitters. These results provide us with the ability to control and convert multiple degrees of freedom of photons for quantum photonic integrated circuit-based quantum information process. PMID:27321821

In the quantum world, a single particle can have various degrees of freedom to encode quantum information. Controlling multiple degrees of freedom simultaneously is necessary to describe a particle fully and, therefore, to use it more efficiently. Here we introduce the transverse waveguide-mode degree of freedom to quantum photonic integrated circuits, and demonstrate the coherent conversion of a photonic quantum state between path, polarization and transverse waveguide-mode degrees of freedom on a single chip. The preservation of quantumcoherence in these conversion processes is proven by single-photon and two-photon quantum interference using a fibre beam splitter or on-chip beam splitters. These results provide us with the ability to control and convert multiple degrees of freedom of photons for quantum photonic integrated circuit-based quantum information process. PMID:27321821

It is known that more than 50 species use the Earth’s magnetic field for orientation and navigation. Intensive studies, particularly behavior experiments with birds, provide support for a chemical compass based on magnetically sensitive free radical reactions as a source of this sense. However, the fundamental question of how quantumcoherence plays an essential role in such a chemical compass model of avian magnetoreception yet remains controversial. Here, we show that the essence of the chemical compass model can be understood in analogy to a quantum interferometer exploiting global quantumcoherence rather than any subsystem coherence. Within the framework of quantum metrology, we quantify global quantumcoherence and correlate it with the function of chemical magnetoreception. Our results allow us to understand and predict how various factors can affect the performance of a chemical compass from the unique perspective of quantumcoherence assisted metrology. This represents a crucial step to affirm a direct connection between quantumcoherence and the function of a chemical compass.

It is known that more than 50 species use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation and navigation. Intensive studies, particularly behavior experiments with birds, provide support for a chemical compass based on magnetically sensitive free radical reactions as a source of this sense. However, the fundamental question of how quantumcoherence plays an essential role in such a chemical compass model of avian magnetoreception yet remains controversial. Here, we show that the essence of the chemical compass model can be understood in analogy to a quantum interferometer exploiting global quantumcoherence rather than any subsystem coherence. Within the framework of quantum metrology, we quantify global quantumcoherence and correlate it with the function of chemical magnetoreception. Our results allow us to understand and predict how various factors can affect the performance of a chemical compass from the unique perspective of quantumcoherence assisted metrology. This represents a crucial step to affirm a direct connection between quantumcoherence and the function of a chemical compass. PMID:24476240

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) findsgalaxies whose Tolman dimming exceeds 10 mag. Could evolution alone explain these as our ancestor galaxies or could they be representatives of quite a different dynasty whose descendants are no longer prominent today? We explore the latter hypothesis and argue that surface brightness selection effects naturally bring into focus quite different dynasties from different redshifts. Thus, the HST z = 7 galaxies could be examples of galaxies whose descendants are both too small and too choked with dust to be recognizable in our neighbourhood easily today. Conversely, the ancestors of the Milky Way and its obvious neighbours would have completely sunk below the sky at z > 1.2, unless they were more luminous in the past, although their diffused light could account for the missing re-ionization flux. This Succeeding Prominent Dynasties Hypothesis (SPDH) fits the existing observations both naturally and well even without evolution, including the bizarre distributions of galaxy surface brightness found in deep fields, the angular size ˜(1 + z)-1 law, 'downsizing' which turns out to be an 'illusion' in the sense that it does not imply evolution, 'infant mortality', that is, the discrepancy between stars born and stars seen, the existence of 'red nuggets', and finally the recently discovered and unexpected excess of quasar absorption line damped Lyα systems at high redshift. If galaxies were not significantly brighter in the past and the SPDH were true, then a large proportion of galaxies could remain sunk from sight, possibly at all redshifts, and these sunken galaxies could supply the missing re-ionization flux. We show that fishing these sunken galaxies out of the sky by their optical emissions alone is practically impossible, even when they are nearby. More ingenious methods are needed to detect them. It follows that disentangling galaxy evolution through studying ever higher redshift galaxies may be a forlorn hope because one could

We study theoretically the full counting statistics of electron transport through side-coupled double quantum dot (QD) based on an efficient particle-number-resolved master equation. It is demonstrated that the high-order cumulants of transport current are more sensitive to the quantumcoherence than the average current, which can be used to probe the quantumcoherence of the considered double QD system. Especially, quantumcoherence plays a crucial role in determining whether the super-Poissonian noise occurs in the weak inter-dot hopping coupling regime depending on the corresponding QD-lead coupling, and the corresponding values of super-Poissonian noise can be relatively enhanced when considering the spins of conduction electrons. Moreover, this super-Poissonian noise bias range depends on the singly-occupied eigenstates of the system, which thus suggests a tunable super-Poissonian noise device. The occurrence-mechanism of super-Poissonian noise can be understood in terms of the interplay of quantumcoherence and effective competition between fast-and-slow transport channels. -- Highlights: •The FCS can be used to probe the quantumcoherence of side-coupled double QD system. •Probing quantumcoherence using FCS may permit experimental tests in the near future. •The current noise characteristics depend on the quantumcoherence of this QD system. •The super-Poissonian noise can be enhanced when considering conduction electron spin. •The side-coupled double QD system suggests a tunable super-Poissonian noise device.

Generalized quantum measurements implemented to allow for measurement outcomes termed inconclusive can perform perfect discrimination of non-orthogonal states, a task which is impossible using only measurements with definitive outcomes. Here we demonstrate such generalized quantum measurements for unambiguous discrimination of four non-orthogonal coherent states and obtain their quantum mechanical description, the positive-operator valued measure. For practical realizations of this positive-operator valued measure, where noise and realistic imperfections prevent perfect unambiguous discrimination, we show that our experimental implementation outperforms any ideal standard-quantum-limited measurement performing the same non-ideal unambiguous state discrimination task for coherent states with low mean photon numbers. PMID:23774177

This paper is concerned with the minimax strategy in quantum signal detection theory. First we show a numerical calculation method for finding a solution to the quantum minimax decision problem in the case that the average probability of decision errors is used as the quality function of a quantum communication system. To verify the numerical calculation method, ternary coherent state signal is considered in the absence of thermal noise. After that, the error probability of the quantum minimax receiver for the ternary coherent state signal in the pressure of thermal noise is computed by using this numerical calculation method.

Minimizing decoherence due to coupling of a quantum system to its fluctuating environment is at the forefront of quantum information and photonics research. Nature sets the ultimate limit, however, given by the strength of the system's coupling to the electromagnetic field. Here, we establish the ability to electronically control this coupling and enhance the optical coherence time of the charged exciton transition in quantum dots embedded in a photonic waveguide. By manipulating the electronic wave functions through an applied lateral electric field, we increase the coherence time from ˜1.4 to ˜2.7 ns . Numerical calculations reveal that longer coherence arises from the separation of charge carriers by up to ˜6 nm , which leads to a 30% weaker transition dipole moment. The ability to electronically control the coherence time opens new avenues for quantum communication and novel coupling schemes between distant qubits.

Minimizing decoherence due to coupling of a quantum system to its fluctuating environment is at the forefront of quantum information and photonics research. Nature sets the ultimate limit, however, given by the strength of the system’s coupling to the electromagnetic field. Here, we establish the ability to electronically control this coupling and enhance the optical coherence time of the charged exciton transition in quantum dots embedded in a photonic waveguide. By manipulating the electronic wavefunctions through an applied lateral electric field, we increase the coherence time from ~ 1.4 ns to ~ 2.7 ns. Numerical calculations reveal that longer coherence arises from the separation of charge carriers by up to ~ 6 nm, which leads to a 30% weaker transition dipole moment. The ability to electronically control the coherence time opens new avenues for quantum communication and novel coupling schemes between distant qubits. PMID:26849614

Minimizing decoherence due to coupling of a quantum system to its fluctuating environment is at the forefront of quantum information and photonics research. Nature sets the ultimate limit, however, given by the strength of the system's coupling to the electromagnetic field. Here, we establish the ability to electronically control this coupling and enhance the optical coherence time of the charged exciton transition in quantum dots embedded in a photonic waveguide. By manipulating the electronic wave functions through an applied lateral electric field, we increase the coherence time from ∼1.4 to ∼2.7 ns. Numerical calculations reveal that longer coherence arises from the separation of charge carriers by up to ∼6 nm, which leads to a 30% weaker transition dipole moment. The ability to electronically control the coherence time opens new avenues for quantum communication and novel coupling schemes between distant qubits. PMID:26849614

We investigate surface plasmon amplification in a silver nanoparticle coupled to an externally driven three-level gain medium and show that quantumcoherence significantly enhances the generation of surface plasmons. Surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation is achieved in the absence of population inversion on the spasing transition, which reduces the pump requirements. The coherent drive allows us to control the dynamics and holds promise for quantum control of nanoplasmonic devices. PMID:23931365

A fundamental requirement for enabling fault-tolerant quantum information processing is an efficient quantum error-correcting code that robustly protects the involved fragile quantum states from their environment. Just as classical error-correcting codes are indispensible in today's information technologies, it is believed that quantum error-correcting code will play a similarly crucial role in tomorrow's quantum information systems. Here, we report on the experimental demonstration of a quantum erasure-correcting code that overcomes the devastating effect of photon losses. Our quantum code is based on linear optics, and it protects a four-mode entangled mesoscopic state of light against erasures. We investigate two approaches for circumventing in-line losses, and demonstrate that both approaches exhibit transmission fidelities beyond what is possible by classical means. Because in-line attenuation is generally the strongest limitation to quantum communication, such an erasure-correcting code provides a new tool for establishing quantum optical coherence over longer distances.

We investigate scaling of work and efficiency of a photonic Carnot engine with a number of quantumcoherent resources. Specifically, we consider a generalization of the "phaseonium fuel" for the photonic Carnot engine, which was first introduced as a three-level atom with two lower states in a quantumcoherent superposition by M. O. Scully, M. Suhail Zubairy, G. S. Agarwal, and H. Walther [Science 299, 862 (2003)SCIEAS0036-807510.1126/science.1078955], to the case of N+1 level atoms with N coherent lower levels. We take into account atomic relaxation and dephasing as well as the cavity loss and derive a coarse-grained master equation to evaluate the work and efficiency analytically. Analytical results are verified by microscopic numerical examination of the thermalization dynamics. We find that efficiency and work scale quadratically with the number of quantumcoherent levels. Quantumcoherence boost to the specific energy (work output per unit mass of the resource) is a profound fundamental difference of quantum fuel from classical resources. We consider typical modern resonator set ups and conclude that multilevel phaseonium fuel can be utilized to overcome the decoherence in available systems. Preparation of the atomic coherences and the associated cost of coherence are analyzed and the engine operation within the bounds of the second law is verified. Our results bring the photonic Carnot engines much closer to the capabilities of current resonator technologies. PMID:26871061

We investigate scaling of work and efficiency of a photonic Carnot engine with a number of quantumcoherent resources. Specifically, we consider a generalization of the "phaseonium fuel" for the photonic Carnot engine, which was first introduced as a three-level atom with two lower states in a quantumcoherent superposition by M. O. Scully, M. Suhail Zubairy, G. S. Agarwal, and H. Walther [Science 299, 862 (2003), 10.1126/science.1078955], to the case of N +1 level atoms with N coherent lower levels. We take into account atomic relaxation and dephasing as well as the cavity loss and derive a coarse-grained master equation to evaluate the work and efficiency analytically. Analytical results are verified by microscopic numerical examination of the thermalization dynamics. We find that efficiency and work scale quadratically with the number of quantumcoherent levels. Quantumcoherence boost to the specific energy (work output per unit mass of the resource) is a profound fundamental difference of quantum fuel from classical resources. We consider typical modern resonator set ups and conclude that multilevel phaseonium fuel can be utilized to overcome the decoherence in available systems. Preparation of the atomic coherences and the associated cost of coherence are analyzed and the engine operation within the bounds of the second law is verified. Our results bring the photonic Carnot engines much closer to the capabilities of current resonator technologies.

We propose an efficient decoy-state protocol for practical quantum key distribution using coherent states. The protocol uses four intensities of different coherent light. A good final key rate is achieved by our protocol with typical parameters of existing practical setups, even with a very low channel transmittance.

A “coherent” nanocavity structure has been designed on two-dimensional well-ordered InGaN/GaN nanodisk arrays with an emission wavelength in the green spectral region, leading to a massive enhancement in resonance mode in the green spectra region. By means of a cost-effective nanosphere lithography technique, we have fabricated such a structure on an InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well epiwafer and have observed the “coherent” nanocavity effect, which leads to an enhanced spontaneous emission (SE) rate. The enhanced SE rate has been confirmed by time resolved photoluminescence measurements. Due to the coherent nanocavity effect, we have achieved a massive improvement in internal quantum efficiency with a factor of 88, compared with the as-grown sample, which could be significant to bridge the “green gap” in solid-state lighting.

The ability to distinguish between coherent states optimally plays in important role in the efficient usage of quantum resources for classical communication and sensing applications. While it has been known since the early 1970’s how to optimally distinguish between two coherent states, generalizations to larger sets of coherent states have so far failed to reach optimality. In this work we outline how optimality can be achieved by using a small quantum computer, building on recent proposals for optimal qubit state discrimination with multiple copies.

We present and demonstrate a simple idea to excite and preserve the double-quantum-coherence (DQC) in the ground state of the electron spin of the Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center in diamond. We measure the coherence time of the DQC and compare it to the single quantumcoherence time, both, in a Ramsey fringe experiment and under a Hahn echo sequence. We also demonstrate a robust pulse sequence based on the DANTE pulse sequence for selectively isolating the signal from the electron transitions conditional on the state of the always-present Nitrogen spin.

We consider a two-way quantum cryptographic protocol with coherent states assuming direct reconciliation. A detailed security analysis is performed considering a two-mode coherent attack, which represents the residual eavesdropping once the parties have reduced the general attack by applying symmetric random permutations. In this context we provide a general analytical expression for the key rate, discussing the impact of the residual two-mode correlations on the security of the scheme. In particular, we identify the optimal eavesdropping against two-way quantum communication, which is given by a two-mode coherent attack with symmetric and separable correlations.

We present and demonstrate a simple idea to excite and preserve the double-quantum-coherence (DQC) in the ground state of the electron spin of the Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center in diamond. We measure the coherence time of the DQC and compare it to the single quantumcoherence time, both, in a Ramsey fringe experiment and under a Hahn echo sequence. We also demonstrate a robust pulse sequence based on the DANTE pulse sequence for selectively isolating the signal from the electron transitions conditional on the state of the always-present Nitrogen spin. PMID:25462943

The geometry of classical dynamics in coupled oscillators with SU(2) transformations is explored and found to be relevant to a family of continuous-transformation orbits between Lissajous and trochoidal curves. The quantum wave-packet coherent states are derived analytically to correspond exactly to the transformation geometry of classical dynamics. By using the quantum wave-packet coherent states derived herein, stationary coherent states are constructed and are shown to possess spatial patterns identical to the transformation geometry between Lissajous and trochoidal orbits.

We consider a system consisting of two interacting qubits that are individually coupled to separate heat baths at different temperatures. The quantum effects in heat transport are investigated in a numerically rigorous manner with a hierarchial equations of motion (HEOM) approach for non-perturbative and non-Markovian system-bath coupling cases under non-equilibrium steady-state conditions. For a weak interqubit interaction, the total system is regarded as two individually thermostatted systems, whereas for a strong interqubit interaction, the two-qubit system is regarded as a single system coupled to two baths. The roles of quantumcoherence (or entanglement) between the two qubits (q-q coherence) and between the qubit and bath (q-b coherence) are studied through the heat current calculated for various strengths of the system-bath coupling and interqubit coupling for high and low temperatures. The same current is also studied using the time convolutionless (TCL) Redfield equation and using an expression derived from the Fermi golden rule (FGR). We find that the HEOM results exhibit turnover behavior of the heat current as a function of the system-bath coupling strength for all values of the interqubit coupling strength, while the results obtained with the TCL and FGR approaches do not exhibit such behavior, because they do not possess the capability of treating the q-b and q-q coherences. The maximum current is obtained in the case that the q-q coherence and q-b coherence are balanced in such a manner that coherence of the entire heat transport process is realized. We also find that the heat current does not follow Fourier’s law when the temperature difference is very large, due to the non-perturbative system-bath interactions.

We propose quantum receivers for 3- and 4-ary phase-shift-keyed (PSK) coherent state signals to overcome the standard quantum limit (SQL). Our receiver, consisting of a displacement operation and on-off detectors with or without feedforward, provides an error probability performance beyond the SQL. We show feedforward operations can tolerate the requirement for the detector specifications.

Previously we have examined the similarities of the quantum Fourier transform to the classical coherent optical implementation of the Fourier transform (R. Young et al, Proc SPIE Vol 87480, 874806-1, -11). In this paper, we further consider how superposition states can be generated on coherent optical wave fronts, potentially allowing coherent optical processing hardware architectures to be extended into the quantum computing regime. In particular, we propose placing the pixels of a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) individually in a binary superposition state and illuminating them with a coherent wave front from a conventional (but low intensity) laser source in order to make a so-called `interaction free' measurement. In this way, the quantum object, i.e. the individual pixels of the SLM in their superposition states, and the illuminating wavefront would become entangled. We show that if this were possible, it would allow the extension of coherent processing architectures into the quantum computing regime and we give an example of such a processor configured to recover one of a known set of images encrypted using the well-known coherent optical processing technique of employing a random Fourier plane phase encryption mask which classically requires knowledge of the corresponding phase conjugate key to decrypt the image. A quantum optical computer would allow interrogation of all possible phase masks in parallel and so immediate decryption.

The initial steps of photosynthesis comprise the absorption of sunlight by pigment-protein antenna complexes followed by rapid and highly efficient funneling of excitation energy to a reaction center. In these transport processes, signatures of unexpectedly long-lived coherences have emerged in two-dimensional ensemble spectra of various light-harvesting complexes. Here, we demonstrate ultrafast quantumcoherent energy transfer within individual antenna complexes of a purple bacterium under physiological conditions. We find that quantumcoherences between electronically coupled energy eigenstates persist at least 400 femtoseconds and that distinct energy-transfer pathways that change with time can be identified in each complex. Our data suggest that long-lived quantumcoherence renders energy transfer in photosynthetic systems robust in the presence of disorder, which is a prerequisite for efficient light harvesting. PMID:23788794

Electron spins and photons are complementary quantum-mechanical objects that can be used to carry, manipulate, and transform quantum information. To combine these resources, it is desirable to achieve the coherent coupling of a single spin to photons stored in a superconducting resonator. Using a circuit design based on a nanoscale spin valve, we coherently hybridize the individual spin and charge states of a double quantum dot while preserving spin coherence. This scheme allows us to achieve spin-photon coupling up to the megahertz range at the single-spin level. The cooperativity is found to reach 2.3, and the spin coherence time is about 60 nanoseconds. We thereby demonstrate a mesoscopic device suitable for nondestructive spin readout and distant spin coupling. PMID:26206930

Recent studies have developed fundamental limitations on nanoscale thermodynamics, in terms of a set of independent free energy relations. Here we show that free energy relations cannot properly describe quantumcoherence in thermodynamic processes. By casting time-asymmetry as a quantifiable, fundamental resource of a quantum state, we arrive at an additional, independent set of thermodynamic constraints that naturally extend the existing ones. These asymmetry relations reveal that the traditional Szilárd engine argument does not extend automatically to quantumcoherences, but instead only relational coherences in a multipartite scenario can contribute to thermodynamic work. We find that coherence transformations are always irreversible. Our results also reveal additional structural parallels between thermodynamics and the theory of entanglement. PMID:25754774

Recent measurements using two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2D ES) have shown that the initial dynamic response of photosynthetic proteins can involve quantumcoherence. We show how electronic coherence can be differentiated from vibrational coherence in 2D ES. On that basis we conclude that both electronic and vibrational coherences are observed in the phycobiliprotein light-harvesting complex PC645 from Chroomonas sp. CCMP270 at ambient temperature. These light-harvesting antenna proteins of the cryptophyte algae are suspended in the lumen, where the pH drops significantly under sustained illumination by sunlight. Here we measured 2D ES of PC645 at increasing levels of acidity to determine if the change in pH affects the quantumcoherence; quantitative analysis reveals that the dynamics are insensitive to the pH change. PMID:22374579

Coherent multidimensional spectroscopy performed in the mixed frequency/time domain exhibits both temporal and spectral quantum beating when two quantum states are simultaneously excited. The excitation of both quantum states can occur because either the spectral width of the states or the excitation pulse exceeds the frequency separation of the quantum states. The quantum beating appears as a line that broadens and splits into two peaks and then recombines as the time delay between excitation pulses increases. The splitting depends on the spectral width of the excitation pulses. We observe the spectral quantum beating between the two nearly degenerate asymmetric carbonyl stretch modes in a nickel tricarbonyl chelate using the nonrephasing, ground state bleaching coherence pathway in triply vibrationally enhanced four-wave mixing as the time delay between the first two excitation pulses changes. PMID:17628051

A homodyne measurement technique is demonstrated that enables direct observation of the coherence and phase of light that passed through a coupled quantum dot (QD)-microcavity system, which in turn enables clear identification of coherent and incoherent QD transitions. As an example, we study the effect of power-induced decoherence, where the QD transition saturates and incoherent emission from the excited state dominates at higher power. Further, we show that the same technique allows measurement of the quantum phase shift induced by a single QD in the cavity, which is strongly enhanced by cavity quantum electrodynamics effects. PMID:26125395

The ratchet phenomenon is a means to get directed transport without net forces. Originally conceived to rectify stochastic motion and describe operational principles of biological motors, the ratchet effect can be used to achieve controllable coherentquantum transport. This transport is an ingredient of several perspective quantum devices including atomic chips. Here we examine coherent transport of ultra-cold atoms in a rocking quantum ratchet. This is realized by loading a rubidium atomic Bose–Einstein condensate into a periodic optical potential subjected to a biharmonic temporal drive. The achieved long-time coherence allows us to resolve resonance enhancement of the atom transport induced by avoided crossings in the Floquet spectrum of the system. By tuning the strength of the temporal modulations, we observe a bifurcation of a single resonance into a doublet. Our measurements reveal the role of interactions among Floquet eigenstates for quantum ratchet transport. PMID:26852803

The ratchet phenomenon is a means to get directed transport without net forces. Originally conceived to rectify stochastic motion and describe operational principles of biological motors, the ratchet effect can be used to achieve controllable coherentquantum transport. This transport is an ingredient of several perspective quantum devices including atomic chips. Here we examine coherent transport of ultra-cold atoms in a rocking quantum ratchet. This is realized by loading a rubidium atomic Bose-Einstein condensate into a periodic optical potential subjected to a biharmonic temporal drive. The achieved long-time coherence allows us to resolve resonance enhancement of the atom transport induced by avoided crossings in the Floquet spectrum of the system. By tuning the strength of the temporal modulations, we observe a bifurcation of a single resonance into a doublet. Our measurements reveal the role of interactions among Floquet eigenstates for quantum ratchet transport.

The ratchet phenomenon is a means to get directed transport without net forces. Originally conceived to rectify stochastic motion and describe operational principles of biological motors, the ratchet effect can be used to achieve controllable coherentquantum transport. This transport is an ingredient of several perspective quantum devices including atomic chips. Here we examine coherent transport of ultra-cold atoms in a rocking quantum ratchet. This is realized by loading a rubidium atomic Bose-Einstein condensate into a periodic optical potential subjected to a biharmonic temporal drive. The achieved long-time coherence allows us to resolve resonance enhancement of the atom transport induced by avoided crossings in the Floquet spectrum of the system. By tuning the strength of the temporal modulations, we observe a bifurcation of a single resonance into a doublet. Our measurements reveal the role of interactions among Floquet eigenstates for quantum ratchet transport. PMID:26852803

In this paper, we examine the influence of photon excitation on the monogamy property of quantum discord in tripartite coherent states of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) type. The Hilbert-Schmidt norm is used as quantifier of pairwise quantum correlations. The geometric quantum discord in all bipartite subsystems are explicitly given. We show that the geometric discord is monogamous for any photon excitation order.

Backscattered signal of coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy can be an extremely useful tool for remote identification of airborne particles, provided the signal is sufficiently large. We formulate a semiclassical theory of nonlinear scattering to estimate the number of detectable photons from a bacterial spore at a distance. For the first time, the theory incorporates enhanced quantumcoherence via femtosecond pulses and a nonlinear process into the classical scattering problem. Our result shows a large backscattered signal in the far field, using typical parameters of an anthrax spore with maximally prepared vibrational coherence. Using train pulses of 1 kHz of repetition rate each with energy of 10 mJ, we estimate that about 107 photons can be detected by a 1 m diameter detector placed 1 km away from the spore in the backward scattering direction. The result shows the feasibility of developing a real time remote detection of hazardous microparticles in the atmosphere, particularly biopathogenic spores.

Backscattered signal of coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy can be an extremely useful tool for remote identification of airborne particles, provided the signal is sufficiently large. We formulate a semiclassical theory of nonlinear scattering to estimate the number of detectable photons from a bacterial spore at a distance. For the first time, the theory incorporates enhanced quantumcoherence via femtosecond pulses and a nonlinear process into the classical scattering problem. Our result shows a large backscattered signal in the far field, using typical parameters of an anthrax spore with maximally prepared vibrational coherence. Using train pulses of 1 kHz of repetition rate each with energy of 10 mJ, we estimate that about 10{sup 7} photons can be detected by a 1 m diameter detector placed 1 km away from the spore in the backward scattering direction. The result shows the feasibility of developing a real time remote detection of hazardous microparticles in the atmosphere, particularly biopathogenic spores.

Coherent manipulation of quantum systems with light is expected to be a cornerstone of future information and communication technology, including quantum computation and cryptography. The transfer of an optical phase onto a quantum wavefunction is a defining aspect of coherent interactions and forms the basis of quantum state preparation, synchronization and metrology. Light-phase-modulated electron states near atoms and molecules are essential for the techniques of attosecond science, including the generation of extreme-ultraviolet pulses and orbital tomography. In contrast, the quantum-coherent phase-modulation of energetic free-electron beams has not been demonstrated, although it promises direct access to ultrafast imaging and spectroscopy with tailored electron pulses on the attosecond scale. Here we demonstrate the coherentquantum state manipulation of free-electron populations in an electron microscope beam. We employ the interaction of ultrashort electron pulses with optical near-fields to induce Rabi oscillations in the populations of electron momentum states, observed as a function of the optical driving field. Excellent agreement with the scaling of an equal-Rabi multilevel quantum ladder is obtained, representing the observation of a light-driven 'quantum walk' coherently reshaping electron density in momentum space. We note that, after the interaction, the optically generated superposition of momentum states evolves into a train of attosecond electron pulses. Our results reveal the potential of quantum control for the precision structuring of electron densities, with possible applications ranging from ultrafast electron spectroscopy and microscopy to accelerator science and free-electron lasers. PMID:25971512

W-type entangled states can be used as quantum channels for, e.g., quantum teleportation, quantum dense coding, and quantum key distribution. In this work, we propose a way to generate a macroscopic W-type entangled coherent state using quantum memories in circuit QED. The memories considered here are nitrogen-vacancy center ensembles (NVEs), each located in a different cavity. This proposal does not require initially preparing each NVE in a coherent state instead of a ground state, which should significantly reduce its experimental difficulty. For most of the operation time, each cavity remains in a vacuum state, thus decoherence caused by the cavity decay and the unwanted inter-cavity crosstalk are greatly suppressed. Moreover, only one external-cavity coupler qubit is needed, which simplifies the circuit. PMID:27562055

W-type entangled states can be used as quantum channels for, e.g., quantum teleportation, quantum dense coding, and quantum key distribution. In this work, we propose a way to generate a macroscopic W-type entangled coherent state using quantum memories in circuit QED. The memories considered here are nitrogen-vacancy center ensembles (NVEs), each located in a different cavity. This proposal does not require initially preparing each NVE in a coherent state instead of a ground state, which should significantly reduce its experimental difficulty. For most of the operation time, each cavity remains in a vacuum state, thus decoherence caused by the cavity decay and the unwanted inter-cavity crosstalk are greatly suppressed. Moreover, only one external-cavity coupler qubit is needed, which simplifies the circuit. PMID:27562055

Spin qubits based on interacting spins in double quantum dots have been demonstrated successfully. Readout of the qubit state involves a conversion of spin to charge information, which is universally achieved by taking advantage of a spin blockade phenomenon resulting from Pauli's exclusion principle. The archetypal spin blockade transport signature in double quantum dots takes the form of a rectified current. At present, more complex spin qubit circuits including triple quantum dots are being developed. Here we show, both experimentally and theoretically, that in a linear triple quantum dot circuit the spin blockade becomes bipolar with current strongly suppressed in both bias directions and also that a new quantumcoherent mechanism becomes relevant. In this mechanism, charge is transferred non-intuitively via coherent states from one end of the linear triple dot circuit to the other, without involving the centre site. Our results have implications for future complex nanospintronic circuits. PMID:23416792

Spin qubits based on interacting spins in double quantum dots have been demonstrated successfully. Readout of the qubit state involves a conversion of spin to charge information, which is universally achieved by taking advantage of a spin blockade phenomenon resulting from Pauli's exclusion principle. The archetypal spin blockade transport signature in double quantum dots takes the form of a rectified current. At present, more complex spin qubit circuits including triple quantum dots are being developed. Here we show, both experimentally and theoretically, that in a linear triple quantum dot circuit the spin blockade becomes bipolar with current strongly suppressed in both bias directions and also that a new quantumcoherent mechanism becomes relevant. In this mechanism, charge is transferred non-intuitively via coherent states from one end of the linear triple dot circuit to the other, without involving the centre site. Our results have implications for future complex nanospintronic circuits.

The theory of partial coherence has a long and storied history in classical statistical optics. the vast majority of this work addresses fields that are statistically stationary in time, hence their complex envelopes only have phase-insensitive correlations. The quantum optics of squeezed-state generation, however, depends on nonlinear interactions producing baseband field operators with phase-insensitive and phase-sensitive correlations. Utilizing quantum light to enhance imaging has been a topic of considerable current interest, much of it involving biphotons, i.e., streams of entangled-photon pairs. Biphotons have been employed for quantum versions of optical coherence tomography, ghost imaging, holography, and lithography. However, their seemingly quantum features have been mimicked with classical-sate light, questioning wherein lies the classical-quantum boundary. We have shown, for the case of Gaussian-state light, that this boundary is intimately connected to the theory of phase-sensitive partial coherence. Here we present that theory, contrasting it with the familiar case of phase-insensitive partial coherence, and use it to elucidate the classical-quantum boundary of ghost imaging. We show, both theoretically and experimentally, that classical phase-sensitive light produces ghost imaging most closely mimicking those obtained in biphotons, and we derived the spatial resolution, image contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio of a standoff-sensing ghost imager, taking into account target-induced speckle.

In its 28 years since its introduction in 1987, self-organized criticality (SOC) has had a major impact across a broad range of seemingly dissimilar fields of science. However, until now, it has primarily been applied to classical systems, and it remains a fundamental open question whether the theory also finds a place in complex systems driven by quantumcoherence (QC). Here, on the basis of a many-body quantum-field theory and corroborating Maxwell-Bloch-Langevin computations, we report on the first example of fractal SOC driven, in the nano-world, by quantumcoherence. We show that a quantum-coherently controlled active nano-plasmonic heterostructure allows, in the regime where the light speed is very close to zero, for the phase-synchronization in space of a continuous ensemble of nano-optical oscillators, giving rise to a fundamentally new kind of non-equilibrium light localization. We observe all hallmarks of SOC in this quantum many-body photonic nano-system of interacting heavy bosons, and we identify two critical points, one signifying the onset of spontaneous spatial self-organization, followed in time by another one that signifies the onset of activity. Our analysis reveals a quantum-coherence driven self-organized double-critical property in photonics and a new type of robust light localization, far out of thermodynamic and optical equilibria, with a broad range of potential applications in nano-optics and condensed-matter photonics.

We introduce and theoretically demonstrate a quantum metamaterial made of dense ultracold neutral atoms loaded into an inherently defect-free artificial crystal of light, immune to well-known critical challenges inevitable in conventional solid-state platforms. We demonstrate an all-optical control, on ultrafast time scales, over the photonic topological transition of the isofrequency contour from an open to closed topology at the same frequency. This atomic lattice quantum metamaterial enables a dynamic manipulation of the decay rate branching ratio of a probe quantum emitter by more than an order of magnitude. Our proposal may lead to practically lossless, tunable, and topologically reconfigurable quantum metamaterials, for single or few-photon-level applications as varied as quantum sensing, quantum information processing, and quantum simulations using metamaterials.

We introduce and theoretically demonstrate a quantum metamaterial made of dense ultracold neutral atoms loaded into an inherently defect-free artificial crystal of light, immune to well-known critical challenges inevitable in conventional solid-state platforms. We demonstrate an all-optical control, on ultrafast time scales, over the photonic topological transition of the isofrequency contour from an open to closed topology at the same frequency. This atomic lattice quantum metamaterial enables a dynamic manipulation of the decay rate branching ratio of a probe quantum emitter by more than an order of magnitude. Our proposal may lead to practically lossless, tunable, and topologically reconfigurable quantum metamaterials, for single or few-photon-level applications as varied as quantum sensing, quantum information processing, and quantum simulations using metamaterials. PMID:27152810

The new pulse sequence building block that relies on evolution of heteronuclear multiple quantumcoherences is proposed. The particular chemical shifts are obtained in multiple quadrature, using linear combinations of frequencies taken from spectra measured at different quantum levels. The pulse sequences designed in this way consist of small number of RF-pulses, are as short as possible, and could be applied for determination of coupling constants. The examples presented involve 2D correlations H NCO, H NCA, H N(CO) CA, and H(N) COCA via heteronuclear zero and double coherences, as well as 2D H NCOCA technique with simultaneous evolution of triple and three distinct single quantumcoherences. Applications of the new sequences are presented for 13C, 15N-labeled ubiquitin.

We demonstrate high-fidelity reversible transfer of quantum information from the polarization of photons into the spin state of an electron-hole pair in a semiconductor quantum dot. Moreover, spins are electrically manipulated on a subnanosecond time scale, allowing us to coherently control their evolution. By varying the area of the electrical pulse, we demonstrate phase-shift and spin-flip gate operations with near-unity fidelities. Our system constitutes a controllable quantum interface between flying and stationary qubits, an enabling technology for quantum logic in the solid state.

Assessing the role of interference in natural and artificial quantum dynamical processes is a crucial task in quantum information theory. To this aim, an appropriate formalism is provided by the decoherent histories framework. While this approach has been deeply explored from different theoretical perspectives, it still lacks of a comprehensive set of tools able to concisely quantify the amount of coherence developed by a given dynamics. In this paper, we introduce and test different measures of the (average) coherence present in dissipative (Markovian) quantum evolutions, at various time scales and for different levels of environmentally induced decoherence. In order to show the effectiveness of the introduced tools, we apply them to a paradigmatic quantum process where the role of coherence is being hotly debated: exciton transport in photosynthetic complexes. To spot out the essential features that may determine the performance of the transport, we focus on a relevant trimeric subunit of the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex and we use a simplified (Haken-Strobl) model for the system-bath interaction. Our analysis illustrates how the high efficiency of environmentally assisted transport can be traced back to a quantum recoil avoiding effect on the exciton dynamics, that preserves and sustains the benefits of the initial fast quantum delocalization of the exciton over the network. Indeed, for intermediate levels of decoherence, the bath is seen to selectively kill the negative interference between different exciton pathways, while retaining the initial positive one. The concepts and tools here developed show how the decoherent histories approach can be used to quantify the relation between coherence and efficiency in quantum dynamical processes.

We extend previous analyses of spontaneous emission in a quantum free electron laser (QFEL) and competition between spontaneous and coherent QFEL emission to include a broad distribution of photon frequencies and momenta appropriate for spontaneous undulator radiation. We show that although the predictions of monochromatic and broadband models predict different electron momentum distributions for the quantum regime due to spontaneous emission alone after many photon emissions, the inclusion of broadband spontaneous emission has a negligible effect on the competition between spontaneous and coherent emission in the QFEL. Numerical results from both models are well described by the same condition for the threshold/critical value of spontaneous emission rate.

We report a study on coherence of excitation of single quantum dots. We address the coherent excitation of biexcitons, the process that is indispensable for deterministic photon pair generation in quantum dots. Based on theoretical modeling we optimized the duration of the excitation pulse in our experiment to minimize the laser-induced dephasing and increase the biexciton-to-background single-exciton occupation probability. An additional effect of this approach is a high degree of time-bin entanglement with a concurrence of up to 0.78(6) and a 0.88(3) overlap with a maximally entangled state.

We show experimentally and theoretically that the spectral components of a multioctave frequency comb spontaneously created by stimulated Raman scattering in a hydrogen-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber exhibit strong self-coherence and mutual coherence within each 12 ns driving laser pulse. This coherence arises in spite of the field's initiation being from quantum zero-point fluctuations, which causes each spectral component to show large phase and energy fluctuations. This points to the possibility of an optical frequency comb with nonclassical correlations between all comb lines. PMID:20867639

We propose a particular encoding for bipartite entangled states derived from multipartite cluster-type entangled coherent states (CTECSs). We investigate the effects of amplitude damping on the entanglement content of this bipartite state, as well as its usefulness as a quantum channel for teleportation. We find interesting relationships among the amplitude of the coherent states constituting the CTECSs, the number of subsystems forming the logical qubits (redundancy), and the extent to which amplitude damping affects the entanglement of the channel. For instance, in the sense of sudden death of entanglement, given a fixed value of the initial coherent state amplitude, the entanglement life span is shortened if redundancy is increased.

Present work is an attempt to compare quantum discord and quantum entanglement of quasi-Werner states formed with the four bipartite entangled coherent states (ECS) used recently for quantum teleportation of a qubit encoded in superposed coherent state. Out of these, the quasi-Werner states based on maximally ECS due to its invariant nature under local operation is independent of measurement basis and mean photon numbers, while for quasi-Werner states based on non-maximally ECS, it depends upon measurement basis as well as on mean photon number. However, for large mean photon numbers since non-maximally ECS becomes almost maximally entangled therefore dependence of quantum discord for non-maximally ECS based quasi-Werner states on the measurement basis disappears.

A new quantum dynamic equation for excitation energy transfer is developed which can describe quantumcoherent wavelike motion and incoherent hopping in a unified manner. The developed equation reduces to the conventional Redfield theory and Forster theory in their respective limits of validity. In the regime of coherent wavelike motion, the equation predicts several times longer lifetime of electronic coherence between chromophores than does the conventional Redfield equation. Furthermore, we show quantumcoherent motion can be observed even when reorganization energy is large in comparison to intersite electronic coupling (the Forster incoherent regime). In the region of small reorganization energy, slow fluctuation sustains longer-lived coherent oscillation, whereas the Markov approximation in the Redfield framework causes infinitely fast fluctuation and then collapses the quantumcoherence. In the region of large reorganization energy, sluggish dissipation of reorganization energy increases the time electronic excitation stays above an energy barrier separating chromophores and thus prolongs delocalization over the chromophores. PMID:19548715

We present zero-, one-, and two-quantum two-dimensional coherent spectra of excitons and trions in a CdTe/(Cd,Mg)Te quantum well. The set of spectra provides a unique and comprehensive picture of the coherent nonlinear optical response. Distinct peaks in the spectra are manifestations of exciton-exciton and exciton-trion coherent coupling. Excellent agreement using density matrix calculations highlights the essential role of many-body effects on the coupling. Strong exciton-trion coherent interactions open up the possibility for novel conditional control schemes in coherent optoelectronics. PMID:24655274

We present zero-, one-, and two-quantum two-dimensional coherent spectra of excitons and trions in a CdTe/(Cd,Mg)Te quantum well. The set of spectra provides a unique and comprehensive picture of the coherent nonlinear optical response. Distinct peaks in the spectra are manifestations of exciton-exciton and exciton-trion coherent coupling. Excellent agreement using density matrix calculations highlights the essential role of many-body effects on the coupling. Strong exciton-trion coherent interactions open up the possibility for novel conditional control schemes in coherent optoelectronics.

A general method for solving an important class of quantum detection problems will be presented and evaluated. The quantum theory for detecting pure states for communications purposes has been developed over two decades ago, however the mixed state problem representing signal plus noise states has received little attention due to its great complexity. Here we develop a practical model for solving the mixed-state problem using a discrete approximation to the coherent-state representation of signal plus noise density operators.

The extension of thermodynamics into the quantum regime has received much attention in recent years. A primary objective of current research is to find thermodynamic tasks which can be enhanced by quantum mechanical effects. With this goal in mind, we explore the finite-time dynamics of absorption refrigerators composed of three quantum bits (qubits). The aim of this finite-time cooling is to reach low temperatures as fast as possible and subsequently extract the cold particle to exploit it for information processing purposes. We show that the coherent oscillations inherent to quantum dynamics can be harnessed to reach temperatures that are colder than the steady state in orders of magnitude less time, thereby providing a fast source of low-entropy qubits. This effect demonstrates that quantum thermal machines can surpass classical ones, reminiscent of quantum advantages in other fields, and is applicable to a broad range of technologically important scenarios.

We characterize both entanglement and quantumcoherence in a molecular system by connecting the linear entropy of electronic-nuclear entanglement with Wigner-Yanase skew information measuring vibronic coherence and local quantum uncertainty on electronic energy. Linear entropy of entanglement and quantifiers of quantumcoherence are derived for a molecular system described in a bipartite Hilbert space H =He l⨂Hv i b of finite dimension Ne l×Nv , and relations between them are established. For the specific case of the electronic-vibrational entanglement, we find the linear entropy of entanglement as having a more complex informational content than the von Neumann entropy. By keeping the information carried by the vibronic coherences in a molecule, linear entropy seizes vibrational motion in the electronic potentials as entanglement dynamics. We analyze entanglement oscillations in an isolated molecule, and show examples for the control of entanglement dynamics in a molecule through the creation of coherent vibrational wave packets in several electronic potentials by using chirped laser pulses.

We investigate the entanglement and the Rényi entropies of two electronic leads connected by a quantum point contact. For noninteracting electrons, the entropies can be related to the cumulants of the full counting statistics of transferred charge which in principle are measurable. We consider the entanglement entropy generated by operating the quantum point contact as a quantum switch which is opened and closed in a periodic manner. Using a numerically exact approach we analyze the conditions under which a logarithmic growth of the entanglement entropy predicted by conformal field theory should be observable in an electronic conductor. In addition, we consider clean single-particle excitations on top of the Fermi sea (levitons) generated by applying designed pulses to the leads. We identify a Hong-Ou-Mandel-like suppression of the entanglement entropy by interfering two levitons on a quantum point contact tuned to half transmission.

It is shown that, according to the quantum theory of light, the spatial period of an interference pattern formed by light incident on a medium and reflected from it is determined both by the wavelength of light and the number of coherent photons in a scattered mode. The scattered signal is assumed arbitrarily weak.

Recently there has been growing interest in the role of coherence in electronic dynamics. Coherent multidimensional spectroscopy has been used to reveal coherent phenomena in numerous material systems. Here we utilize a recent implementation of coherent multidimensional spectroscopy--two-dimensional photocurrent spectroscopy--in which we detect the photocurrent from a PbS quantum dot photocell resulting from its interactions with a sequence of four ultrafast laser pulses. We observe sub-picosecond evolution of two-dimensional spectra consistent with multiple exciton generation. Moreover, a comparison with two-dimensional fluorescence spectra of the quantum dots demonstrates the potential of two-dimensional photocurrent spectroscopy to elucidate detailed origins of photocurrent generating electronic state coherence pathways. Since the measurement is based on detecting the photocell current in situ, the method is well suited to study the fundamental ultrafast processes that affect the function of the device. This opens new avenues to investigate and implement coherent optimization strategies directly within devices. PMID:25519819

We propose a deterministic scheme for teleporting an unknown qubit state through continuous-variable entangled states in superconducting circuits. The qubit is a superconducting two-level system and the bipartite quantum channel is a microwave photonic entangled coherent state between two cavities. A Bell-type measurement performed on the hybrid state of solid and photonic states transfers a discrete-variable unknown electronic state to a continuous-variable photonic cat state in a cavity mode. In order to facilitate the implementation of such complex protocols we propose a design for reducing the self-Kerr nonlinearity in the cavity. The teleporation scheme enables quantum information processing operations with circuit-QED based on entangled coherent states. These include state verification and single-qubit operations with entangled coherent states. These are shown to be experimentally feasible with the state of the art superconducting circuits.

We propose a deterministic scheme for teleporting an unknown qubit state through continuous-variable entangled states in superconducting circuits. The qubit is a superconducting two-level system and the bipartite quantum channel is a microwave photonic entangled coherent state between two cavities. A Bell-type measurement performed on the hybrid state of solid and photonic states transfers a discrete-variable unknown electronic state to a continuous-variable photonic cat state in a cavity mode. In order to facilitate the implementation of such complex protocols we propose a design for reducing the self-Kerr nonlinearity in the cavity. The teleporation scheme enables quantum information processing operations with circuit-QED based on entangled coherent states. These include state verification and single-qubit operations with entangled coherent states. These are shown to be experimentally feasible with the state of the art superconducting circuits. PMID:27245775

We propose a deterministic scheme for teleporting an unknown qubit state through continuous-variable entangled states in superconducting circuits. The qubit is a superconducting two-level system and the bipartite quantum channel is a microwave photonic entangled coherent state between two cavities. A Bell-type measurement performed on the hybrid state of solid and photonic states transfers a discrete-variable unknown electronic state to a continuous-variable photonic cat state in a cavity mode. In order to facilitate the implementation of such complex protocols we propose a design for reducing the self-Kerr nonlinearity in the cavity. The teleporation scheme enables quantum information processing operations with circuit-QED based on entangled coherent states. These include state verification and single-qubit operations with entangled coherent states. These are shown to be experimentally feasible with the state of the art superconducting circuits. PMID:27245775

All incoherent as well as 2- and 3-qubit coherent eavesdropping strategies on the six-state protocol of quantum cryptography are classified. For a disturbance of 1/6, the optimal incoherent eavesdropping strategy reduces to the universal quantum cloning machine. Coherent eavesdropping cannot increase Eve's Shannon information, neither on the entire string of bits, nor on the set of bits received undisturbed by Bob. However, coherent eavesdropping can increase as well Eve's Renyi information as her probability of guessing correctly all bits. The case that Eve delays the measurement of her probe until after the public discussion on error correction and privacy amplification is also considered. It is argued that by doing so, Eve gains only negligibly small additional information.

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD), leaving the detection procedure to the third partner and thus being immune to all detector side-channel attacks, is very promising for the construction of high-security quantum information networks. We propose a scheme to implement MDI-QKD, but with continuous variables instead of discrete ones, i.e., with the source of Gaussian-modulated coherent states, based on the principle of continuous-variable entanglement swapping. This protocol not only can be implemented with current telecom components but also has high key rates compared to its discrete counterpart; thus it will be highly compatible with quantum networks.

We investigate the quantum properties of solitons with nonlocal self-interaction. We find significant changes when compared to the local interaction. Quantum phase diffusion of nonlocal solitons is always reduced with respect to the local interaction and vanishes in the strongly nonlocal limit. Thus, coherence is increased in the nonlocal case. Furthermore, we compare the intrinsic quantum wave packet spreading to the recently discussed classical Gordon-Haus effect for nonlocal solitons [V. Folli and C. Conti, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 193901 (2010)].

We present the proposition of an experiment in which the multiphoton quantum superposition consisting of Napprox =10{sup 5} particles generated by a quantum-injected optical parametric amplifier, seeded by a single-photon belonging to an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entangled pair, is made to interact with a mirror-Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) shaped as a Bragg interference structure. The overall process will realize a macroscopic quantum superposition involving a microscopic single-photon state of polarization entangled with the coherent macroscopic transfer of momentum to the BEC structure, acting in spacelike separated distant places.

A scheme is proposed to obtain slow light in a coulped quantum wells microcavity with tunneling induced transparency between intersubband electronic transitions. Three prolaritons are created by intracavity Fano interference between fundamental mode photon and two quantum oscillators of coherent subband electronic excitations. A narrow middle dark polariton of the three can be produced, which can be used to suppress the line profiles of the transmission or reflection spectra for the incident light. This leads to slow propagation of the incident light in the microcavity. The semiconductor optical microcavity can be an alternative choice of quantum photoelectronic devices in nanoscale.

We demonstrate two real-time optical coherence imaging acquisition modes using all-optical phase coherent photorefractive ZnSe quantum wells as dynamic holographic films. These films use the coherence of excitons for time-gating which provides depth information of an object according to the brightness profile of its holographic image. This quality allows depth-resolved imaging of moving particles with a resolution of a few micrometers in a single-shot three-dimensional mode. In a complementary contrast-enhanced mode moving particles are imaged by the local enhancement of a static reference hologram, enabling optical coherence imaging at a large depth-of-field.

We theoretically generate single-photon catalyzed coherent states (SPCCSs) by means of quantum-optical catalysis based on the beam splitter (BS) or the parametric amplifier (PA). These states are obtained in one of the BS (or PA) output channels if a coherent state and a single-photon Fock state are present in two input ports and a single photon is registered in the other output port. The success probabilities of the detection (also the normalization factors) are discussed, which is different for BS and PA catalysis. In addition, we prove that the generated states catalyzed by BS and PA devices are actually the same quantum states after analyzing photon number distribution of the SPCCSs. The quantum properties of the SPCCSs, such as sub-Poissonian distribution, anti-bunching effect, quadrature squeezing effect, and the negativity of the Wigner function are investigated in detail. The results show that the SPCCSs are non-Gaussian states with an abundance of nonclassicality.

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) with decoy-state method is believed to be securely applied to defeat various hacking attacks in practical quantum key distribution systems. Recently, the coherent-state superpositions (CSS) have emerged as an alternative to single-photon qubits for quantum information processing and metrology. Here, in this Letter, CSS are exploited as the source in MDI-QKD. We present an analytical method that gives two tight formulas to estimate the lower bound of yield and the upper bound of bit error rate. We exploit the standard statistical analysis and Chernoff bound to perform the parameter estimation. Chernoff bound can provide good bounds in the long-distance MDI-QKD. Our results show that with CSS, both the security transmission distance and secure key rate are significantly improved compared with those of the weak coherent states in the finite-data case. PMID:26466295

Engineering and studying few-electron states in ballistic conductors is a key step towards understanding entanglement in quantum electronic systems. In this Rapid Communication, we introduce the intrinsic two-electron coherence of an electronic source in quantum Hall edge channels and relate it to two-electron wave functions and to current noise in a Hanbury Brown-Twiss interferometer. Inspired by the analogy with photon quantum optics, we propose to measure the intrinsic two-electron coherence of a source using low-frequency current correlation measurements at the output of a Franson interferometer. To illustrate this protocol, we discuss how it can distinguish between a time-bin-entangled pure state and a statistical mixture of time-shifted electron pairs.

The original measurement device-independent quantum key distribution is reviewed, and a modified protocol using heralded pair coherent state (HPCS) is proposed to overcome the quantum bit error rate associated with the dark count rate of the detectors in long-distance quantum key distribution. Our simulation indicates that the secure transmission distance can be improved evidently with HPCS owing to the lower probability of vacuum events when compared with weak coherent source scenario, while the secure key rate can be increased with HPCS due to the higher probability of single-photon events when compared with heralded single-photon source scenario. Furthermore, we apply the finite key analysis to the decoy state MDI-QKD with HPCS and obtain a practical key rate.

Epitaxial attachment of quantum dots into ordered superlattices enables the synthesis of quasi-two-dimensional materials that theoretically exhibit features such as Dirac cones and topological states, and have major potential for unprecedented optoelectronic devices. Initial studies found that disorder in these structures causes localization of electrons within a few lattice constants, and highlight the critical need for precise structural characterization and systematic assessment of the effects of disorder on transport. Here we fabricated superlattices with the quantum dots registered to within a single atomic bond length (limited by the polydispersity of the quantum dot building blocks), but missing a fraction (20%) of the epitaxial connections. Calculations of the electronic structure including the measured disorder account for the electron localization inferred from transport measurements. The calculations also show that improvement of the epitaxial connections will lead to completely delocalized electrons and may enable the observation of the remarkable properties predicted for these materials.

A semiclassical simulation approach is presented for studying quantum noise in large-scale photonic circuits incorporating an ideal Kerr nonlinearity. A circuit solver is used to generate matrices defining a set of stochastic differential equations, in which the resonator field variables represent random samplings of the Wigner quasiprobability distributions. Although the semiclassical approach involves making a large-photon-number approximation, tests on one- and two-resonator circuits indicate satisfactory agreement between the semiclassical and full-quantum simulation results in the parameter regime of interest. The semiclassical model is used to simulate random errors in a large-scale circuit that contains 88 resonators and hundreds of components in total and functions as a four-bit ripple counter. The error rate as a function of on-state photon number is examined, and it is observed that the quantum fluctuation amplitudes do not increase as signals propagate through the circuit, an important property for scalability.

We study spin-resolved resonant tunneling in a system of two quantum dots sandwiched between doped quantum wells. In the coherent (Dicke) regime, i.e., when quantum dot separation is smaller than the Fermi wavelength in a two-dimensional electron gas in quantum wells, application of an in-plane magnetic field leads to a pronounced spin-resolved structure of conductance peak line shape even for very small Zeeman splitting of the quantum dots' resonant levels. In the presence of electron-gas spin-orbit coupling, this spin-resolved structure is washed out due to Fermi surface deformation in the momentum space. We also show that Aharonov-Bohm flux penetrating the area enclosed by tunneling electron pathways completely destroys the conductance spin structure.

We have investigated few-body states in vertically stacked quantum dots. Because of a small interdot tunneling rate, the coupling in our system is in a previously unexplored regime where electron-hole exchange plays a prominent role. By tuning the gate bias, we are able to turn this coupling off and study a complementary regime where total electron spin is a good quantum number. The use of differential transmission allows us to obtain unambiguous signatures of the interplay between electron and hole-spin interactions. Small tunnel coupling also enables us to demonstrate all-optical charge sensing, where a conditional exciton energy shift in one dot identifies the charging state of the coupled partner.

We describe a multi-mode quantum memory for propagating microwave photons that combines a solid-state spin ensemble resonantly coupled to a frequency tunable single-mode microwave cavity. We first show that high efficiency mapping of the quantum state transported by a free photon to the spin ensemble is possible both for strong and weak coupling between the cavity mode and the spin ensemble. We also show that even in the weak coupling limit unit efficiency and faithful retrieval can be obtained through time reversal inhomogeneous dephasing based on spin echo techniques. This is possible provided that the cavity containing the spin ensemble and the transmission line are impedance matched. We finally discuss the prospects for an experimental implementation using a rare-earth doped crystal coupled to a superconducting resonator.

Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) protocols based on coherent detection have been studied extensively in both theory and experiment. In all the existing implementations of CV-QKD, both the quantum signal and the local oscillator (LO) are generated from the same laser and propagate through the insecure quantum channel. This arrangement may open security loopholes and limit the potential applications of CV-QKD. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a pilot-aided feedforward data recovery scheme that enables reliable coherent detection using a "locally" generated LO. Using two independent commercial laser sources and a spool of 25-km optical fiber, we construct a coherent communication system. The variance of the phase noise introduced by the proposed scheme is measured to be 0.04 (rad2 ), which is small enough to enable secure key distribution. This technology also opens the door for other quantum communication protocols, such as the recently proposed measurement-device-independent CV-QKD, where independent light sources are employed by different users.

One salient characteristic of Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) is its very short τ ∼ 1 ps gain recovery time that so far thwarted the attempts to achieve self-mode locking of the device into a train of single pulses. We show theoretically that four wave mixing, combined with the short gain recovery time causes QCL to operate in the self-frequency-modulated regime characterized by a constant power in time domain and stable coherent comb in the frequency domain. Coherent frequency comb may enable many potential applications of QCL's in sensing and measurement.

Noble metal nanoparticles can modify the optical properties of graphene. Here we present a detailed theoretical analysis of the coherent resonance of quantum plasmons in the graphene-gold cluster hybrid system by using time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). This plasmon coherent effect is mainly attributed to the electromagnetic field coupling between the graphene and the gold cluster. As a result, the optical response of the hybrid system exhibits a remarkably strong, selectable tuning and polarization dependent plasmon resonance enhanced in wide frequency regions. This investigation provides an improved understanding of the plasmon enhancement effect in a graphene-based photoelectric device. PMID:25874280

We demonstrate local manipulation and detection of nuclear spin coherence in semiconductor quantum wells by an optical pump-probe technique combined with pulse rf NMR. The Larmor precession of photoexcited electron spins is monitored by time-resolved Kerr rotation (TRKR) as a measure of nuclear magnetic field. Under the irradiation of resonant pulsed rf magnetic fields, Rabi oscillations of nuclear spins are traced by TRKR signals. The intrinsic coherence time evaluated by a spin-echo technique reveals the dependence on the orientation of the magnetic field with respect to the crystalline axis as expected by the nearest neighbor dipole-dipole interaction. PMID:16606048

We report the first observation of two-phonon quantumcoherences in a semiconductor. Two-dimensional terahertz (THz) spectra recorded with a sequence of three THz pulses display strong two-phonon signals, clearly distinguished from signals due to interband two-photon absorption and electron tunneling. The two-phonon coherences originate from impulsive off-resonant excitation in the nonperturbative regime of light-matter interaction. A theoretical analysis provides the relevant Liouville pathways, showing that nonlinear interactions using the large interband dipole moment generate stronger two-phonon excitations than linear interactions. PMID:27176538

The coherent transport of surface plasmons with nonlinear dispersion relations on a metal nanowire coupled to two-level emitters is investigated theoretically. Real-space Hamiltonians are used to obtain the transmission and reflection spectra of the surface plasmons. For the single-dot case, we find that the scattering spectra can show completely different features due to the non-linear quadratic dispersion relation. For the double-dot case, we obtain the interference behavior in transmission and reflection spectra, similar to that in resonant tunneling through a double-barrier potential. Moreover, Fano-like line shape of the transmission spectrum is obtained due to the quadratic dispersion relation. All these peculiar behaviors indicate that the dot-nanowire system provides a onedimensional platform to demonstrate the bandgap feature widely observed in photonic crystals. PMID:20588891

We study a cavity-photon-switched coherent electron transport in a symmetric double quantum waveguide. The waveguide system is weakly connected to two electron reservoirs, but strongly coupled to a single quantized photon cavity mode. A coupling window is placed between the waveguides to allow electron interference or inter-waveguide transport. The transient electron transport in the system is investigated using a quantum master equation. We present a cavity-photon tunable semiconductor quantum waveguide implementation of an inverter quantum gate, in which the output of the waveguide system may be selected via the selection of an appropriate photon number or “photon frequency” of the cavity. In addition, the importance of the photon polarization in the cavity, that is, either parallel or perpendicular to the direction of electron propagation in the waveguide system is demonstrated.

Every measurement of the population in an uncorrelated ensemble of two-level systems is limited by what is known as the quantum projection noise limit. Here, we present quantum-projection-noise-limited performance of a Ramsey-type interferometer using freely propagating coherent atoms. The experimental setup is based on an electro-optic modulator in an inherently stable Sagnac interferometer, optically coupling the two interfering atomic states via a two-photon Raman transition. Going beyond the quantum projection noise limit requires the use of reduced quantum uncertainty (squeezed) states. The experiment described demonstrates atom interferometry at the fundamental noise level and allows the observation of possible squeezing effects in an atom laser, potentially leading to improved sensitivity in atom interferometers.

An efficient scheme is proposed to implement a quantum cloning machine in separate cavities based on a hybrid interaction between electron-spin systems placed in the cavities and an optical coherent pulse. The coefficient of the output state for the present cloning machine is just the direct product of two trigonometric functions, which ensures that different types of quantum cloning machine can be achieved readily in the same framework by appropriately adjusting the rotated angles. The present scheme can implement optimal one-to-two symmetric (asymmetric) universal quantum cloning, optimal symmetric (asymmetric) phase-covariant cloning, optimal symmetric (asymmetric) real-state cloning, optimal one-to-three symmetric economical real-state cloning, and optimal symmetric cloning of qubits given by an arbitrary axisymmetric distribution. In addition, photon loss of the qubus beams during the transmission and decoherence effects caused by such a photon loss are investigated.

The spin of a carrier trapped in a self-assembled quantum dot has the potential to be a robust optically active qubit that is compatible with existing III-V semiconductor device technology. A key requirement for building a quantum processor is the ability to dynamically prepare, control and detect single quantum states. Here, experimental progress in the coherent optical control of single semiconductor quantum dots over the past decade is reviewed, alongside an introductory discussion of the basic principles of coherent control.

A novel quantum dual signature scheme, which combines two signed messages expected to be sent to two diverse receivers Bob and Charlie, is designed by applying entanglement swapping with coherent states. The signatory Alice signs two different messages with unitary operations (corresponding to the secret keys) and applies entanglement swapping to generate a quantum dual signature. The dual signature is firstly sent to the verifier Bob who extracts and verifies the signature of one message and transmits the rest of the dual signature to the verifier Charlie who verifies the signature of the other message. The transmission of the dual signature is realized with quantum teleportation of coherent states. The analysis shows that the security of secret keys and the security criteria of the signature protocol can be greatly guaranteed. An extensional multi-party quantum dual signature scheme which considers the case with more than three participants is also proposed in this paper and this scheme can remain secure. The proposed schemes are completely suited for the quantum communication network including multiple participants and can be applied to the e-commerce system which requires a secure payment among the customer, business and bank. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61272495, 61379153, and 61401519) and the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20130162110012).

We will describe a theory that allows to understand the anomalous transport properties of the excitonic condensate state occurring in quantumquantum Hall bilayers in terms of a picture in which the condensate phase is nearly uniform across the sample, and the strength of condensate coupling to interlayer tunneling processes is substantially reduced compared to the predictions of disorder-free microscopic mean-field theory. These ingredients provide a natural explanation for recently established I-V characteristics which feature a critical current above which the tunneling resistance abruptly increases and a non-local interaction between interlayer tunneling at the inner and outer edges of Corbino rings. We propose a microscopic picture in which disorder is the main agent responsible for the reduction of the effective interlayer tunneling strength. IS is supported by the Pappalardo Fellowship in Physics. HC and AHM are supported by DOE Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering Grant DE-FG03- 02ER45958 and Welch Foundation Grant TBF1473.

The quantum bounce a priori connects several (semi)classical epochs of universe evolution, however determining if and how well the semiclassicality is preserved in this transition is highly nontrivial. We review the present state of knowledge in that regards in the isotropic sector of loop quantum cosmology (LQC). This knowledge is next extended by studies of an isotropic universe admitting positive cosmological constant (featuring an infinite chain of large universe epochs). It is also shown, that such universe always admits a semiclassical epoch thanks to spontaneous coherence, provided it is semiclassical in certain constant of motion playing the role of energy.

The non-measurement based coherent feedback control (CFC) is a control method without introducing any backaction noise into the controlled system, thus is specially suitable to manipulate various quantum optical systems for preparing nonclassical states of light. By simply tuning the transmissivity of an optical controller in a CFC loop attached to a non-degenerate optical parametric amplifier (NOPA), the quantum entanglement degree of the output optical entangled state of the system is improved. At the same time, the threshold pump power of the NOPA is reduced also. The experimental results are in reasonable agreement with the theoretical expectation. PMID:26047357

We study the equivalence of a realistic quantum key distribution protocol using coherent states and homodyne detection with a formal entanglement purification protocol. Maximally entangled qubit pairs that one can extract in the formal protocol correspond to secret key bits in the realistic protocol. More specifically, we define a qubit encoding scheme that allows the formal protocol to produce more than one entangled qubit pair per entangled oscillator pair or, equivalently for the realistic protocol, more than one secret key bit per coherent state. The entanglement parameters are estimated using quantum tomography. We analyze the properties of the encoding scheme and investigate the resulting secret key rate in the important case of the attenuation channel.

We present our experimental investigations on the low-temperature ( T) saturation of the electron phase coherence time τ φ in open ballistic quantum dots fabricated from InGaAs/InAlAs heterostructures. At high temperature, we observe that τ φ= aT- p, with 2/3

quantum well. Below a temperature Tonset, in the range 0.5 K< Tonset<5 K, τ φ saturates in all our samples. The condition for the occurrence of saturation is found to be τ φ, sat= τd, where τ φ, sat is the saturated coherence time and τd is the dwell time. We discuss possible interpretations for this observation.

Considerable work has recently been directed toward developing resource theories of quantumcoherence. In this Letter, we establish a criterion of physical consistency for any resource theory. This criterion requires that all free operations in a given resource theory be implementable by a unitary evolution and projective measurement that are both free operations in an extended resource theory. We show that all currently proposed basis-dependent theories of coherence fail to satisfy this criterion. We further characterize the physically consistent resource theory of coherence and find its operational power to be quite limited. After relaxing the condition of physical consistency, we introduce the class of dephasing-covariant incoherent operations as a natural generalization of the physically consistent operations. Necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for the convertibility of qubit states using dephasing-covariant operations, and we show that these conditions also hold for other well-known classes of incoherent operations. PMID:27472102

We optically generated an electronic state in a single InAs /GaAs self-assembled quantum dot that is a precursor to the deterministic entanglement of the spin of the electron with an emitted photon in the proposal of W. Yao, R.-B. Liu, and L. J. Sham [Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 030504 (2005).]. A superposition state is prepared by optical pumping to a pure state followed by an initial pulse. By modulating the subsequent pulse arrival times and precisely controlling them using interferometric measurement of path length differences, we are able to implement a coherent control technique to selectively drive exactly one of the two components of the superposition to the ground state. This optical transition contingent on spin was driven with the same broadband pulses that created the superposition through the use of a two pulse coherent control sequence. A final pulse affords measurement of the coherence of this "preentangled" state.

The efficient conversion of light into electricity or chemical fuels is a fundamental challenge. In artificial photosynthetic and photovoltaic devices, this conversion is generally thought to happen on ultrafast, femto-to-picosecond timescales and to involve an incoherent electron transfer process. In some biological systems, however, there is growing evidence that the coherent motion of electronic wavepackets is an essential primary step, raising questions about the role of quantumcoherence in artificial devices. Here we investigate the primary charge-transfer process in a supramolecular triad, a prototypical artificial reaction centre. Combining high time-resolution femtosecond spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory, we provide compelling evidence that the driving mechanism of the photoinduced current generation cycle is a correlated wavelike motion of electrons and nuclei on a timescale of few tens of femtoseconds. We highlight the fundamental role of the interface between chromophore and charge acceptor in triggering the coherent wavelike electron-hole splitting. PMID:23511467

We investigate how the entanglement properties of a two-mode state can be improved by performing a coherent superposition operation ta+ra{sup {dagger}} of photon subtraction and addition, proposed by Lee and Nha [Phys. Rev. A 82, 053812 (2010)], on each mode. We show that the degree of entanglement, the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-type correlation, and the performance of quantum teleportation can be all enhanced for the output state when the coherent operation is applied to a two-mode squeezed state. The effects of the coherent operation are more prominent than those of the mere photon subtraction a and the addition a{sup {dagger}} particularly in the small-squeezing regime, whereas the optimal operation becomes the photon subtraction (case of r=0) in the large-squeezing regime.

Considerable work has recently been directed toward developing resource theories of quantumcoherence. In this Letter, we establish a criterion of physical consistency for any resource theory. This criterion requires that all free operations in a given resource theory be implementable by a unitary evolution and projective measurement that are both free operations in an extended resource theory. We show that all currently proposed basis-dependent theories of coherence fail to satisfy this criterion. We further characterize the physically consistent resource theory of coherence and find its operational power to be quite limited. After relaxing the condition of physical consistency, we introduce the class of dephasing-covariant incoherent operations as a natural generalization of the physically consistent operations. Necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for the convertibility of qubit states using dephasing-covariant operations, and we show that these conditions also hold for other well-known classes of incoherent operations.

We optically generated an electronic state in a single InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dot that is a precursor to the deterministic entanglement of the spin of the electron with an emitted photon in the proposal of W. Yao, R.-B. Liu, and L. J. Sham [Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 030504 (2005). A superposition state is prepared by optical pumping to a pure state followed by an initial pulse. By modulating the subsequent pulse arrival times and precisely controlling them using interferometric measurement of path length differences, we are able to implement a coherent control technique to selectively drive exactly one of the two components of the superposition to the ground state. This optical transition contingent on spin was driven with the same broadband pulses that created the superposition through the use of a two pulse coherent control sequence. A final pulse affords measurement of the coherence of this "preentangled" state. PMID:24724666

We study coherence and entanglement properties of the state space of a composite bi-fermion (two electrons pierced by λ magnetic flux lines) at one Landau site of a bilayer quantum Hall system. In particular, interlayer imbalance and entanglement (and its fluctuations) are analyzed for a set of U(4) coherent (quasiclassical) states generalizing the standard pseudospin U(2) coherent states for the spin-frozen case. The interplay between spin and pseudospin degrees of freedom opens new possibilities with regard to the spin-frozen case. Actually, spin degrees of freedom make interlayer entanglement more effective and robust under perturbations than in the spin-frozen situation, mainly for a large number of flux quanta λ. Interlayer entanglement of an equilibrium thermal state and its dependence with temperature and bias voltage is also studied for a pseudo-Zeeman interaction. PMID:25351998

We present a numerical study of coherent control in a room temperature InAs/InP quantum dot (QD) semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) using shaped ultra-short pulses. Both the gain and absorption regimes were analyzed for pulses with central wavelengths lying on either side of the inhomogeneously broadened gain spectrum. The numerical experiments predict that in the gain regime the coherent interactions between a QD SOA and a pulse can be controlled by incorporating a quadratic spectral phase (QSP) in the pulse profile. The sequential interaction with the gain medium of different spectral components of the pulse results in either suppression or enhancement of the coherent signatures on the pulse profile depending upon their proximity to the gain spectrum peak. In the absorption regime, positive QSP induces a negative chirp that adds up to that of a two photon absorption induced Kerr-like effect resulting in pulse compression while negative QSP enhances dispersive broadening of the pulse. PMID:26698476

We propose a way to simulate mesoscopic transport processes with counterpropagating wave packets of ultracold atoms in quasi-one-dimensional (1D) waveguides and show quantitative agreement with analytical results. The method allows the study of a broad range of transport processes at the level of individual modes, not possible in electronic systems. Typically suppressed effects of quantumcoherence become manifest, along with the effects of tunable interactions, which can be used to develop a simpler type of sensitive atom interferometer.

We show that entangled radiation-matter states with broken symmetries can be prepared by using nonclassical light in the coherent control techniques. We demonstrate the method by realizing the entanglement in degenerate continuum electronic momentum states of opposite directionality and discrete states of opposite handedness in chiral molecules. When the material system is excited simultaneously by classical light and quantum light in a state with several semiclassical phases, the interference conditions guide the system to such entangled radiation-matter states.

We study a relativistic quantum particle in cosmic string spacetime in the presence of a magnetic field and a Coulomb-type scalar potential. It is shown that the radial part of this problem possesses the su(1 , 1) symmetry. We obtain the energy spectrum and eigenfunctions of this problem by using two algebraic methods: the Schrödinger factorization and the tilting transformation. Finally, we give the explicit form of the relativistic coherent states for this problem.

In this article, the second of three, we discuss and develop the basis of a Weyl quantisation for compact Lie groups aiming at loop quantum gravity-type models. This Weyl quantisation may serve as the main mathematical tool to implement the program of space adiabatic perturbation theory in such models. As we already argued in our first article, space adiabatic perturbation theory offers an ideal framework to overcome the obstacles that hinder the direct implementation of the conventional Born-Oppenheimer approach in the canonical formulation of loop quantum gravity. Additionally, we conjecture the existence of a new form of the Segal-Bargmann-Hall "coherent state" transform for compact Lie groups G, which we prove for G = U(1)n and support by numerical evidence for G = SU(2). The reason for conjoining this conjecture with the main topic of this article originates in the observation that the coherent state transform can be used as a basic building block of a coherent state quantisation (Berezin quantisation) for compact Lie groups G. But, as Weyl and Berezin quantisation for ℝ2d are intimately related by heat kernel evolution, it is natural to ask whether a similar connection exists for compact Lie groups as well. Moreover, since the formulation of space adiabatic perturbation theory requires a (deformation) quantisation as minimal input, we analyse the question to what extent the coherent state quantisation, defined by the Segal-Bargmann-Hall transform, can serve as basis of the former.

The radical-pair mechanism is one of two distinct mechanisms used to explain the navigation of birds in geomagnetic fields, however little research has been done to explore the role of quantum entanglement in this mechanism. In this paper we study the lifetime of radical-pair entanglement corresponding to the magnitude and direction of magnetic fields to show that the entanglement lasts long enough in birds to be used for navigation. We also find that the birds appear to not be able to orient themselves directly based on radical-pair entanglement due to a lack of orientation sensitivity of the entanglement in the geomagnetic field. To explore the entanglement mechanism further, we propose a model in which the hyperfine interactions are replaced by local magnetic fields of similar strength. The entanglement of the radical pair in this model lasts longer and displays an angular sensitivity in weak magnetic fields, both of which are not present in previous models. PMID:23848712

Here we study the optimum efficiency of the excitation of maximum quantum (MaxQ) coherence using analytical and numerical methods based on optimal control theory. The theoretical limit of the achievable MaxQ amplitude and the minimum time to achieve this limit are explored for a set of model systems consisting of up to five coupled spins. In addition to arbitrary pulse shapes, two simple pulse sequence families of practical interest are considered in the optimizations. Compared to conventional approaches, substantial gains were found both in terms of the achieved MaxQ amplitude and in pulse sequence durations. For a model system, theoretically predicted gains of a factor of three compared to the conventional pulse sequence were experimentally demonstrated. Motivated by the numerical results, also two novel analytical transfer schemes were found: Compared to conventional approaches based on non-selective pulses and delays, double-quantumcoherence in two-spin systems can be created twice as fast using isotropic mixing and hard spin-selective pulses. Also it is proved that in a chain of three weakly coupled spins with the same coupling constants, triple-quantumcoherence can be created in a time-optimal fashion using so-called geodesic pulses. PMID:27131527

Here we study the optimum efficiency of the excitation of maximum quantum (MaxQ) coherence using analytical and numerical methods based on optimal control theory. The theoretical limit of the achievable MaxQ amplitude and the minimum time to achieve this limit are explored for a set of model systems consisting of up to five coupled spins. In addition to arbitrary pulse shapes, two simple pulse sequence families of practical interest are considered in the optimizations. Compared to conventional approaches, substantial gains were found both in terms of the achieved MaxQ amplitude and in pulse sequence durations. For a model system, theoretically predicted gains of a factor of three compared to the conventional pulse sequence were experimentally demonstrated. Motivated by the numerical results, also two novel analytical transfer schemes were found: Compared to conventional approaches based on non-selective pulses and delays, double-quantumcoherence in two-spin systems can be created twice as fast using isotropic mixing and hard spin-selective pulses. Also it is proved that in a chain of three weakly coupled spins with the same coupling constants, triple-quantumcoherence can be created in a time-optimal fashion using so-called geodesic pulses.

Here we report the investigation of the magnetic relaxation and the quantumcoherence of vanadyl phthalocyanine, VOPc, a multifunctional and easy-processable potential molecular spin qubit. VOPc in its pure form (1) and its crystalline dispersions in the isostructural diamagnetic host TiOPc in different stoichiometric ratios, namely VOPc:TiOPc 1:10 (2) and 1:1000 (3), were investigated via a multitechnique approach based on the combination of alternate current (AC) susceptometry, continuous wave, and pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. AC susceptibility measurements revealed a linear increase of the relaxation rate with temperature up to 20 K, as expected for a direct mechanism, but τ remains slow over a very wide range of applied static field values (up to ∼5 T). Pulsed EPR spectroscopy experiments on 3 revealed quantumcoherence up to room temperature with Tm ∼1 μs at 300 K, representing the highest value obtained to date for molecular electronic spin qubits. Rabi oscillations are observed in this nuclear spin-active environment ((1)H and (14)N nuclei) at room temperature also for 2, indicating an outstanding robustness of the quantumcoherence in this molecular semiconductor exploitable in spintronic devices. PMID:26853512

The cryptographic communication has a lot of important applications, particularly in the magnificent prospects of private communication. As one knows, the security of cryptographic channel depends crucially on the secrecy of the key. The Vernam cipher is the only cipher system which has guaranteed security. In that system the key must be as long as the message and most be used only once. Quantum cryptography is a method whereby key secrecy can be guaranteed by a physical law. So it is impossible, even in principle, to eavesdrop on such channels. Quantum cryptography has been developed in recent years. Up to now, many schemes of quantum cryptography have been proposed. Now one of the main problems in this field is how to increase transmission distance. In order to use quantum nature of light, up to now proposed schemes all use very dim light pulses. The average photon number is about 0.1. Because of the loss of the optical fiber, it is difficult for the quantum cryptography based on one photon level or on dim light to realize quantum key-distribution over long distance. A quantum key distribution based on coherent state is introduced in this paper. Here we discuss the feasibility and security of this scheme.

Quantum dot arrays provide a promising platform for quantum information processing. For universal quantum simulation and computation, one central issue is to demonstrate the exhaustive controllability of quantum states. Here, we report the addressable manipulation of three single electron spins in a triple quantum dot using a technique combining electron-spin-resonance and a micro-magnet. The micro-magnet makes the local Zeeman field difference between neighboring spins much larger than the nuclear field fluctuation, which ensures the addressable driving of electron-spin-resonance by shifting the resonance condition for each spin. We observe distinct coherent Rabi oscillations for three spins in a semiconductor triple quantum dot with up to 25 MHz spin rotation frequencies. This individual manipulation over three spins enables us to arbitrarily change the magnetic spin quantum number of the three spin system, and thus to operate a triple-dot device as a three-qubit system in combination with the existing technique of exchange operations among three spins.

Recent accumulation of plant genomic resources offers the opportunity to compare modern genomes and model their evolutionary history from their reconstructed Most Recent Common Ancestors (MRCAs) that can be used as a guide to unveil the forces driving the evolutionary success of angiosperms and ultimately to perform applied translational research from models to crops. This article reviews the current state of art of recent structural comparative genomics studies through ancestral genome reconstruction, that is, the field of in silico paleogenomics. PMID:26985732

The ratio s of the coherent magnetic energy term and the incoherent mechanical kinetic energy terms of the drift motion in the hamiltonian of a current carrying system is calculated for the special cases of a HFET or FET. This ratio defines the resulting quantum 1/f noise from the coherent and conventional quantum 1/f effects. In this case of FETs and HFETs of much larger width w>>LDS>t, the kinetic energy Ek of average motion with drift velocity vd per unit length in the direction of the drain-source distance LDS in the channel of thickness t, is still given by Nmvd 2/2, but the magnetic energy Em per unit length in the direction of LDS is roughly proportional with the first power of w only, instead of w2, and can be approximated by Em = π[ln(w/2LDS)]LDS[nevS/c]2/w. Here S=wt is the cross section though which current flows this indicates field-decoherence along the large device width w. This yields a coherence ratio of s ≡ Em/Ek ~ πnrotLDSln(w/2LDS), which shows that only an effective width w=weff about equal to LDS should be used in the calculation of s in this special case; larger widths are subject to de-coherence. This favors lower, mainly conventional, quantum 1/f noise in these devices, in spite of the large values of w. It also explains for the first time why the huge widths are possible with impunity, i.e., without causing the much larger coherentquantum 1/f noise to appear. For non-uniform current distribution across t, and for piezoelectric coupling, improved forms are derived for s. Specifically, the coherence parameter, called s' for the piezo case, is given by s' = (gN'h/m*vs)( vs/u)3F(u/vs)t/12w, where F(u/vs) = (2/3)(u/vs) for small drift velocity u, much smaller than the sound velocity vs in the semiconductor. Here N'=nwt.

We construct a scattering theory of weakly nonlinear thermoelectric transport through sub-micron scale conductors. The theory incorporates the leading nonlinear contributions in temperature and voltage biases to the charge and heat currents. Because of the finite capacitances of sub-micron scale conducting circuits, fundamental conservation laws such as gauge invariance and current conservation require special care to be preserved. We do this by extending the approach of Christen and Büttiker (1996 Europhys. Lett. 35 523) to coupled charge and heat transport. In this way we write relations connecting nonlinear transport coefficients in a manner similar to Mott's relation between the linear thermopower and the linear conductance. We derive sum rules that nonlinear transport coefficients must satisfy to preserve gauge invariance and current conservation. We illustrate our theory by calculating the efficiency of heat engines and the coefficient of performance of thermoelectric refrigerators based on quantum point contacts and resonant tunneling barriers. We identify, in particular, rectification effects that increase device performance. PMID:23343784

We demonstrate manipulation of nuclear spin coherence in a GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well by optically detected nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). A phase shift of the Larmor precession of photoexcited electron spins is detected to read out the hyperfine-coupled nuclear spin polarization. Multipulse NMR sequences are generated to control the population and examine the phase coherence in quadrupolar-split spin-3/2 75As nuclei. The phase coherence among the multilevel nuclear spin states is addressed by application of pulse sequences that are used in quantum gate operations. PMID:19113379

In this paper we demonstrate a new type of quantum phase coherence (QPC), which is generated by the two-body interaction. This conclusion is based on quantum master equation analysis for the full counting statistics of electron transport through two parallel quantum-dots with antiparallel magnetic fluxes in order to eliminate the Aharonov-Bohm interference of either single-particle or non-interacting two-particle wave functions. The interacting two-particle QPC is realized by the flux-dependent oscillation of the zero-frequency cumulants including the shot noise and skewness with a characteristic period. The accurately quantized peaks of cumulant spectrum may have technical applications to probe the two-body Coulomb interaction. PMID:26255858

In this paper we demonstrate a new type of quantum phase coherence (QPC), which is generated by the two-body interaction. This conclusion is based on quantum master equation analysis for the full counting statistics of electron transport through two parallel quantum-dots with antiparallel magnetic fluxes in order to eliminate the Aharonov-Bohm interference of either single-particle or non-interacting two-particle wave functions. The interacting two-particle QPC is realized by the flux-dependent oscillation of the zero-frequency cumulants including the shot noise and skewness with a characteristic period. The accurately quantized peaks of cumulant spectrum may have technical applications to probe the two-body Coulomb interaction.

Digital signatures are frequently used in data transfer to prevent impersonation, repudiation and message tampering. Currently used classical digital signature schemes rely on public key encryption techniques, where the complexity of so-called ‘one-way' mathematical functions is used to provide security over sufficiently long timescales. No mathematical proofs are known for the long-term security of such techniques. Quantum digital signatures offer a means of sending a message, which cannot be forged or repudiated, with security verified by information-theoretical limits and quantum mechanics. Here we demonstrate an experimental system, which distributes quantum signatures from one sender to two receivers and enables message sending ensured against forging and repudiation. Additionally, we analyse the security of the system in some typical scenarios. Our system is based on the interference of phase-encoded coherent states of light and our implementation utilizes polarization-maintaining optical fibre and photons with a wavelength of 850 nm. PMID:23132024

Rigidity of an ordered phase in condensed matter results in collective excitation modes spatially extending to macroscopic dimensions. A magnon is a quantum of such collective excitation modes in ordered spin systems. Here, we demonstrate the coherent coupling between a single-magnon excitation in a millimeter-sized ferromagnetic sphere and a superconducting qubit, with the interaction mediated by the virtual photon excitation in a microwave cavity. We obtain the coupling strength far exceeding the damping rates, thus bringing the hybrid system into the strong coupling regime. Furthermore, we use a parametric drive to realize a tunable magnon-qubit coupling scheme. Our approach provides a versatile tool for quantum control and measurement of the magnon excitations and may lead to advances in quantum information processing. PMID:26160378

In this paper we demonstrate a new type of quantum phase coherence (QPC), which is generated by the two-body interaction. This conclusion is based on quantum master equation analysis for the full counting statistics of electron transport through two parallel quantum-dots with antiparallel magnetic fluxes in order to eliminate the Aharonov-Bohm interference of either single-particle or non-interacting two-particle wave functions. The interacting two-particle QPC is realized by the flux-dependent oscillation of the zero-frequency cumulants including the shot noise and skewness with a characteristic period. The accurately quantized peaks of cumulant spectrum may have technical applications to probe the two-body Coulomb interaction. PMID:26255858

The charge photogeneration process in organic molecules is investigated by a quantum heat engine model, in which two molecules are modeled by a two-spin system sandwiched between two bosonic baths. The two baths represent the high-temperature photon emission source and the low-temperature phonon environment, respectively. We utilize the time-dependent density matrix renormalization group algorithm to investigate the quantum dynamics of the model. It is found that the transient energy current flowing through the two molecules exhibits two stages. In the first stage the energy current is of a coherent feature and represents the ultrafast delocalization of the charge-transfer state, and in the second stage a steady incoherent current is established. The power conversion efficiency is significantly high and may reach the maximum value of 93 % with optimized model parameters. The long-lived quantum entanglement between the two spins is found to be primarily responsible for the hyperefficiency.

By considering a nanoscale Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometer consisting of a laterally coupled double dot coupled to the source and drain electrodes, we investigate the AB phase dependence of the bonding and antibonding states and the transport currents via the bonding and antibonding state channels. The relations of the AB phase dependence between the quantum states and the associated transport current components are analyzed, which provides useful information for the reconstruction of quantum states through the measurement of the transport current in such systems. We also obtain the validity of the experimental analysis [given in T. Hatano et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 076801 (2011), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.076801] that bonding state currents in different energy configurations are almost the same. With the coherent properties in the quantum dot states as well as in the transport currents, we also provide a way to manipulate the bonding and antibonding states through the AB magnetic flux.

We present a Floquet scattering theory of electron waiting time distributions in periodically driven quantum conductors. We employ a second-quantized formulation that allows us to relate the waiting time distribution to the Floquet scattering matrix of the system. As an application we evaluate the electron waiting times for a quantum point contact, modulating either the applied voltage (external driving) or the transmission probability (internal driving) periodically in time. Lorentzian-shaped voltage pulses are of particular interest as they lead to the emission of clean single-particle excitations as recently demonstrated experimentally. The distributions of waiting times provide us with a detailed characterization of the dynamical properties of the quantum-coherent conductor in addition to what can be obtained from the shot noise or the full counting statistics. PMID:24766000

Practical quantum information processing schemes require fast single-qubit operations. For spin-based qubits, this involves performing arbitrary coherent rotations of the spin state on timescales much faster than the spin coherence time. While we recently demonstrated the ability to initialize and monitor the evolution of single spins in quantum dots (QDs)ootnotetextM. H. Mikkelsen, J. Berezovsky, N. G. Stoltz, L. A. Coldren, D. D. Awschalom, Nature Physics 3, 770 (2007); J. Berezovsky, M. H. Mikkelsen, O. Gywat, N. G. Stoltz, L. A. Coldren, and D. D. Awschalom, Science 314, 1916 (2006)., here we present an all-optical scheme for ultrafast manipulation of these states through arbitrary angles. The GaAs QDs are embedded in a diode structure to allow controllable charging of the QDs and positioned within a vertical optical cavity to enhance the small single spin signal. By applying off-resonant optical pulses, we coherently rotate a single electron spin in a QD up to π radians on picosecond timescales ootnotetextJ. Berezovsky, M. H. Mikkelsen, N. G. Stoltz, L. A. Coldren, D. D. Awschalom, Science 320, 349 (2008)..We directly observe this spin manipulation using time-resolved Kerr rotation spectroscopy at T=10K. Measurements of the spin rotation as a function of laser detuning and intensity confirm that the optical Stark effect is the operative mechanism and the results are well-described by a model including the electron-nuclear spin interaction. Using short tipping pulses, this technique enables one to perform a large number of operations within the coherence time. This ability to perform arbitrary single-qubit operations enables sequential all-optical initialization, ultrafast control and detection of a single electron spin for quantum information purposes.

Trapped-ion quantum simulators are a promising candidate for exploring quantum-many-body physics, such as quantum magnetism, that are difficult to examine in condensed-matter experiments or using classical simulation. We demonstrate a coherent imaging spectroscopic technique to validate a quantum simulation. In this work, we study fully-connected transverse Ising models with a chain of up to 18 171Yb+ ions. Here, We resolve the state of each spin by collecting the spin-dependent fluorescence on a camera in order to map the complete energy spectrum and fully characterize the spin-spin couplings, while also engineering entangled states and measuring the critical gap near a quantum phase transition. We expect this general technique to become an important verification tool for quantum simulators. This work is supported by grants from the U.S. Army Research Office with funding from the DARPA OLE program, IARPA, and the MURI program; and the NSF Physics Frontier Center at JQI.

We present a theoretical study of quantumcoherence effects in the primary cis-trans photoisomerization of retinal in rhodopsin induced by incoherent solar light. Using the partial secular Bloch-Redfield quantum master equation approach based on a two-state two-mode linear vibronic coupling model of the retinal chromophore [S. Hahn and G. Stock, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2000, 104, 1146-1149], we show that a sudden turn-on of incoherent pumping can generate substantial Fano coherences among the excited states of retinal. These coherences are the most pronounced in the regime where the matrix elements of the transition dipole moment between the ground and excited eigenstates are parallel to one another. We show that even when the transition dipole moments are perpendicular (implying the absence of light-induced Fano coherence) a small amount of excited-state coherence is still generated due to the coupling to intramolecular vibrational modes and the protein environment, causing depopulation of the excited eigenstates. The overall effect of the coherences on the steady-state population and on the photoproduct quantum yield is shown to be small; however we observe a significant transient effect on the formation of the trans photoproduct, enhancing the photoreaction quantum yield by ∼11% at 200 fs. These calculations suggest that coupling to intramolecular vibrational modes and the protein environment play an important role in photoreaction dynamics, suppressing oscillations in the quantum yield associated with Fano interference. PMID:26022517

Among many applications quantum weak measurements have been shown to be important in exploring fundamental physics issues, such as the experimental violation of the Heisenberg uncertainty relation and the Hardy paradox, and have also technological implications in quantum optics, quantum metrology and quantum communications, where the precision of the measurement is as important as the precision of quantum state preparation. The theory of weak measurement can be formulated using the pre-and post-selected quantum systems, as well as using the weak measurement operator formalism. In this work, we study the quantum discord (QD) of quasi-Werner mixed states based on bipartite entangled coherent states using the weak measurements operator, instead of the projective measurement operators. We then compare the quantum discord for both kinds of measurement operators, in terms of the entanglement quality, the latter being measured using the concept of concurrence. It's found greater quantum correlations using the weak measurement operators.

There has been much recent interest in quantum metrology for applications to sub-Raleigh ranging and remote sensing such as in quantum radar. For quantum radar, atmospheric absorption and diffraction rapidly degrades any actively transmitted quantum states of light, such as N00N states, so that for this high-loss regime the optimal strategy is to transmit coherent states of light, which suffer no worse loss than the linear Beer's law for classical radar attenuation, and which provide sensitivity at the shot-noise limit in the returned power. We show that coherent radar radiation sources, coupled with a quantum homodyne detection scheme, provide both longitudinal and angular super-resolution much below the Rayleigh diffraction limit, with sensitivity at shot-noise in terms of the detected photon power. Our approach provides a template for the development of a complete super-resolving quantum radar system with currently available technology.

There is widespread interest in characterizing the organization of human genetic variation around the world from a population perspective. Related to this are attempts to describe the pattern of genetic variation in the human species generally, including “recreational” genomics, the genome-based estimation of the ancestry of individuals. These approaches rest on subtle concepts of variation, time, and ancestry that are perhaps not widely appreciated. They share the idea that there are, or were, discrete panmictic human populations such that every person is either a member of such a population or is an admixed descendant of them. Ancestry fraction estimation is biased by assumptions about past and present human population structure, as when we trace ancestry to hypothetical unmixed ancestral populations, or assign an individual's ancestry to continental populations that are indistinguishable from classical “races.” Attempts to identify even individuals' local subpopulations are less precise than most (geneticists included) expect, because that is usually based on a small portion of a person's ancestry, relative to the much larger pool of comparably related ancestors. It is easier to show that two people have some relationship than to show who or where the actual ancestor was. There is an important distinction between individuals' demographic ancestry and the ancestry of their genes. Despite superficial appearances, these interpretations of genetic data are often based on typological rather than Darwinian thinking, raising important issues about the questions that are actually being asked. PMID:19411595

A microscopic theory of integer and fractional quantum Hall effects is presented here. In quantum density wave representation of charged particles, it is shown that, in a two-dimensional electron gas coherent structures form under the low temperature and high density conditions. With a sufficiently high applied magnetic field, the combined N particle quantum density wave exhibits collective periodic oscillations. As a result the corresponding quantum Hall voltage function shows a step-wise change in multiples of the ratio h/e2. At lower temperatures further subdivisions emerge in the Hall resistance, exhibiting the fractional quantum Hall effect.

We show that when a semiconductor quantum dot is in the vicinity of a metallic nanoparticle and driven by a mid-infrared laser field, its coherent dynamics caused by interaction with a visible laser field can become free of quantum decoherence. We demonstrate that this process, which can offer undamped Rabi and field oscillations, is the result of coherent normalization of the “effective” polarization dephasing time of the quantum dot (T{sub 2}{sup *}). This process indicates formation of infrared-induced coherently forced oscillations, which allows us to control the value of T{sub 2}{sup *} using the infrared laser. The results offer decay-free ultrafast modulation of the effective field experienced by the quantum dot when neither the visible laser field nor the infrared laser changes with time.

We study the effects of the temperature and electric field on the coherence time of a RbCl parabolic quantum dot (PQD) qubit by using the variational method of Pekar type, the Fermi Golden Rule and the quantum statistics theory (VMPTFGRQST). The ground and the first excited states' (GFES) eigenenergies and the eigenfunctions of an electron in the RbCl PQD with an applied electric field are derived. A single qubit can be realized in this two-level quantum system. It turns out that the coherence time is a decreasing function of the temperature and the electric field, whereas it is an increasing one of the effective confinement length (ECL). By changing the electric field, the temperature and the ECL one can adjust the coherence time. Our research results may be useful for the design and implementation of solid-state quantum computation.

Many regulatory genes appear to be utilized in at least superficially similar ways in the development of particular body parts in Drosophila and in chordates. These similarities have been widely interpreted as functional homologies, producing the conventional view of the last common protostome-deuterostome ancestor (PDA) as a complex organism that possessed some of the same body parts as modern bilaterians. Here we discuss an alternative view, in which the last common PDA had a less complex body plan than is frequently conceived. This reconstruction alters expectations for Neoproterozoic fossil remains that could illustrate the pathways of bilaterian evolution.

The dimensionality of a quantum system has a profound impact on its coherence and superfluid properties. In 3D superfluids, bosonic atoms or Cooper pairs condense into a macroscopic wave function exhibiting long-range phase coherence. Meanwhile, 2D superfluids show a strikingly different behavior: True long-range coherence is precluded by thermal fluctuations, nevertheless Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) theory predicts that 2D systems can still become superfluid. The superfluid state is characterized by an algebraic decay of phase correlations g1(r) ~r - τ / 4 , where the decay exponent τ is directly related to the superfluid density ns according to τ = 4 /(nsλdB2) . I will present local coherence measurements in a strongly interacting 2D gas of diatomic 6 Li molecules. A self-interference technique allows us to locally extract the algebraic decay exponent and to reconstruct the superfluid density. We determine the scaling of the decay exponent with phase space density to provide a benchmark for studies of 2D superfluids in the strongly interacting regime.

Quantum technology promises revolutionary advantages in information processing and transmission compared to classical technology; however, determining which specific resources are needed to surpass the capabilities of classical machines often remains a nontrivial problem. To address such a problem, one first needs to establish the best classical solutions, which set benchmarks that must be beaten by any implementation claiming to harness quantum features for an enhanced performance. Here we introduce and develop a self-contained formalism to obtain the ultimate, generally probabilistic benchmarks for quantum information protocols including teleportation and approximate cloning, with arbitrary ensembles of input states generated by a group action, so-called Gilmore-Perelomov coherent states. This allows us to construct explicit fidelity thresholds for the transmission of multimode Gaussian and non-Gaussian states of continuous-variable systems, as well as qubit and qudit pure states drawn according to nonuniform distributions on the Bloch hypersphere, which accurately model the current laboratory facilities. The performance of deterministic classical procedures such as square-root measurement strategies is further compared with the optimal probabilistic benchmarks, and the state-of-the-art performance of experimental quantum implementations against our newly derived thresholds is discussed. This work provides a comprehensive collection of directly useful criteria for the reliable certification of quantum communication technologies.

Conventional double quantum (DQ) editing techniques recover resonances of one metabolite at a time and are thus inefficient for monitoring metabolic changes involving several metabolites. A DQ coherence transfer double editing sequence using a dual-band DQ coherence read pulse is described here. The sequence permits simultaneous spectral editing for two metabolites with similar J coupling constants in a single scan. Simultaneous editing for taurine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is demonstrated using solution phantoms and rat brain tissue. Selectivity of the double editing sequence for the target metabolites is as good as that achieved using conventional DQ editing which selects each metabolite individually. With experimental parameters of the double editing sequence chosen to optimize GABA editing, the sensitivity for GABA detection is the same as that with GABA editing only, while the sensitivity for taurine detection is decreased slightly compared to that with taurine editing only.

We demonstrate fluorescence thermometry techniques with sensitivities approaching 10 mK⋅Hz−1/2 based on the spin-dependent photoluminescence of nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. These techniques use dynamical decoupling protocols to convert thermally induced shifts in the NV center's spin resonance frequencies into large changes in its fluorescence. By mitigating interactions with nearby nuclear spins and facilitating selective thermal measurements, these protocols enhance the spin coherence times accessible for thermometry by 45-fold, corresponding to a 7-fold improvement in the NV center’s temperature sensitivity. Moreover, we demonstrate these techniques can be applied over a broad temperature range and in both finite and near-zero magnetic field environments. This versatility suggests that the quantumcoherence of single spins could be practically leveraged for sensitive thermometry in a wide variety of biological and microscale systems. PMID:23650364

Topological crystalline insulators (TCI) are unique systems where a band inversion that is protected by crystalline mirror symmetry leads to a multiplicity of topological surface states. Binary SnTe is an attractive lead-free TCI compound; the present work on high-quality thin films provides a route for increasing the mobility and reducing the carrier density of SnTe without chemical doping. Results of quantumcoherent magnetotransport measurements reveal a multiplicity of Dirac surface states that are unique to TCI. Modeling of the weak antilocalization shows variations in the extracted number of carrier valleys that reflect the role of coherent intervalley scattering in coupling different Dirac states on the degenerate TCI surface.

Coherent detection of emission from quantum cascade lasers with metal-metal waveguides is demonstrated through free-space coupling of a THz pulse to the sub-wavelength waveguide. We implement a simple, monolithic planar horn antenna design on the metal-metal waveguide that reduces the impedance mis-match to the waveguide. The resulting devices show up to 10 times more directed output power than conventional metal-metal waveguides. This enhanced coupling to free-space allows a more efficient injection of broad-band THz pulses into the waveguide. Through this, we are able to seed the laser emission and coherently detect the laser emission by electro-optic sampling.

We investigate the spectrum of the resonance fluorescence from the lateral triple quantum dots controlled by voltage and obtain some interesting features such as controllable triple narrow peaks. In our system we use tunneling instead of coupling lasers, and the positions, widths and heights of the resonance fluorescence peaks can be controlled by tuning the tunneling couplings. We explain the observed spectrum with the transition properties of the dressed states generated by the coupling of the two tunneling and the laser field. These features can also be viewed as the effects of Spontaneously Generated Coherence between the close-lying levels in the dressed state picture of the tunneling couplings. And the scheme proposed here can permit the observation of Spontaneously Generated Coherence.

The double quantumcoherence (DQC) echo signal for two coupled nitroxides separated by distances ≳10 Å, is calculated rigorously for the six-pulse sequence. Successive application of six pulses on the initial density matrix, with appropriate inter-pulse time evolution and coherence pathway selection leaves only the coherent pathways of interest. The amplitude of the echo signal following the last π pulse can be used to obtain a one-dimensional dipolar spectrum (Pake doublet), and the echo envelope can be used to construct the two-dimensional DQC spectrum. The calculations are carried out using the product space spanned by the two electron-spin magnetic quantum numbers m1, m2 and the two nuclear-spin magnetic quantum numbers M1, M2, describing e.g. two coupled nitroxides in bilabeled proteins. The density matrix is subjected to a cascade of unitary transformations taking into account dipolar and electron exchange interactions during each pulse and during the evolution in the absence of a pulse. The unitary transformations use the eigensystem of the effective spin-Hamiltonians obtained by numerical matrix diagonalization. Simulations are carried out for a range of dipolar interactions, D, and microwave magnetic field strength B for both fixed and random orientations of the two 14N (and 15N) nitroxides. Relaxation effects were not included. Several examples of one- and two-dimensional Fourier transforms of the time domain signals vs. dipolar evolution and spin-echo envelope time variables are shown for illustration. Comparisons are made between 1D rigorous simulations and analytical approximations. The rigorous simulations presented here provide insights into DQC ESR spectroscopy, they serve as a standard to evaluate the results of approximate theories, and they can be employed to plan future DQC experiments. PMID:20161423

We investigate the nonlinear optical phenomena of the optical bistability and multistability via spontaneously generated coherence in an asymmetric double quantum well structure coupled by a weak probe field and a controlling field. It is shown that the threshold and hysteresis cycle of the optical bistability can be conveniently controlled only by adjusting the intensity of the SGC or the controlling field. Moreover, switching between optical bistability and multistability can be achieved. These studies may have practical significance for the preparation of optical bistable switching device.

Homodyne detection is shown to achieve the same signal-to-noise ratio as the quantum field quadrature measurement, thus providing a receiver which realizes linear modulation TCS performance gain. The full equivalence of homodyne detection and single-quadrature field measurement is established. A heterodyne configuration which uses a TCS image-band oscillator in addition to the usual coherent state local oscillator is studied. Results are obtained by means of a representation theorem which shows that photoemissive detection realizes the photon flux density measurement.

We provide evidence for the validity of strong monogamy inequality of multiparty quantum entanglement using the square of convex-roof extended negativity (SCREN). We first consider a large class of multiqudit mixed states that are in a partially coherent superposition of a generalized W -class state and the vacuum, and provide some useful properties about this class of states. We show that monogamy inequality of multiqudit entanglement in terms of SCREN holds for this class of states. We further show that SCREN strong monogamy inequality of multiqudit entanglement also holds for this class of states. Thus SCREN is a good alternative for characterizing the monogamous and strongly monogamous properties of multiqudit entanglement.

We give the first composable security proof for continuous-variable quantum key distribution with coherent states against collective attacks. Crucially, in the limit of large blocks the secret key rate converges to the usual value computed from the Holevo bound. Combining our proof with either the de Finetti theorem or the postselection technique then shows the security of the protocol against general attacks, thereby confirming the long-standing conjecture that Gaussian attacks are optimal asymptotically in the composable security framework. We expect that our parameter estimation procedure, which does not rely on any assumption about the quantum state being measured, will find applications elsewhere, for instance, for the reliable quantification of continuous-variable entanglement in finite-size settings.

The coherent spin dynamics of the quasi-two-dimensional electron gas in a GaAs quantum well is experimentally investigated using the time-resolved spin Kerr effect in an optical cryostat with a split coil inducing magnetic fields of up to 6 T at a temperature of about 2 K. The electron spin dephasing times and degree of anisotropy of the spin relaxation of electrons are measured in zero magnetic field at different electron densities. The dependence of the spin-orbit splitting on the electron-gas density is established. In the integral quantum-Hall-effect mode, the unsteady behavior of the spin dephasing time of 2D electrons of the lower Landau spin sublevel near the odd occupation factor ν = 3 is found. The experimentally observed unsteady behavior of the spin dephasing time can be explained in terms of new-type cyclotron modes that occur in a liquid spin texture.

In recent years the research on quantumcoherent dynamics of open systems has attracted great attention due to its relevance for future implementation of quantum computers. In the present study we apply the Kadanoff-Baym formalism to simulate the population dynamics of a double-dot molecular system attached to both a superconductor and fermionic reservoirs. We solve both analytically and numerically a set of coupled differential equations that account for crossed Andreev reflection (CAR), intramolecular hopping and tunneling. We pay particular attention on how Majorana bound states can affect the population dynamics of the molecule. We investigate on how initial state configuration affects the dynamics. For instance, if one dot is occupied and the other one is empty, the dynamics is dictated by the inter dot tunneling. On the other hand, for initially empty dots, the CAR dominates. We also investigate how the source and drain currents evolve in time. This work was supporte by FAPEMIG, CNPq and CAPES.

We compare effects of decoherence and detection inefficiency on entangled coherent states (ECSs) and entangled photon pairs (EPPs), both of which are known to be particularly useful for quantum-information processing (QIP). When decoherence effects caused by photon losses are heavy, the ECSs outperform the EPPs as quantum channels for teleportation both in fidelities and in success probabilities. On the other hand, when inefficient detectors are used, the teleportation scheme using the ECSs suffers undetected errors that result in the degradation of fidelity, while this is not the case for the teleportation scheme using the EPPs. Our study reveals the merits and demerits of the two types of entangled states in realizing practical QIP under realistic conditions.

Nonequilibrium patterns in open systems are ubiquitous in nature, with examples as diverse as desert sand dunes, animal coat patterns such as zebra stripes, or geographic patterns in parasitic insect populations. A theoretical foundation that explains the basic features of a large class of patterns was given by Turing in the context of chemical reactions and the biological process of morphogenesis. Analogs of Turing patterns have also been studied in optical systems where diffusion of matter is replaced by diffraction of light. The unique features of polaritons in semiconductor microcavities allow us to go one step further and to study Turing patterns in an interacting coherentquantum fluid. We demonstrate formation and control of these patterns. We also demonstrate the promise of these quantum Turing patterns for applications, such as low-intensity ultra-fast all-optical switches. PMID:24145394

We show theoretically that a quantum system in a nonequilibrium state interacting with a set of laser pulses in a four-wave-mixing setup leads to signal emission in directions opposite to the ones usually considered. When combined with a pump mechanism which sets a time origin for the nonequilibrium state creation, this particular optical response can be utilized to directly follow decoherence processes in real time. By varying the time delays within the probe sequence, signals in these unconventional directions can also be used to detect two-dimensional spectra determined by the dynamics of up to three-quantumcoherences, revealing energetical anharmonicities and environmental influences. As a numerical example, these findings are demonstrated by considering a model of vibrational decoherence of carbon monoxide after photolysis from a hemeprotein.

The excitation and detection of high-order multiple quantumcoherences among (13)C nuclear spins are demonstrated in the samples of [1-(13)C]-L-alanine and (13)C labeled amyloid fibrils at a spinning frequency of 20 kHz. The technique is based on the double-quantum average Hamiltonian prepared by the DRAMA-XY4 pulse sequence. Empirically, we find that multiple supercycles are required to suppress the higher-order effects for real applications. Measurements for the fibril samples formed by the polypeptides of PrP(113-127) provide the first solid-state NMR evidence for the stacking of multiple β-sheet layers at the structural core of amyloid fibrils. PMID:22632418

We propose a class of quantum cryptography protocols that are robust against photon-number-splitting attacks (PNS) in a weak coherent-pulse implementation. We give a quite exhaustive analysis of several eavesdropping attacks on these schemes. The honest parties (Alice and Bob) use present-day technology, in particular an attenuated laser as an approximation of a single-photon source. The idea of the protocols is to exploit the nonorthogonality of quantum states to decrease the information accessible to Eve due to the multiphoton pulses produced by the imperfect source. The distance at which the key distribution becomes insecure due to the PNS attack is significantly increased compared to the existing schemes. We also show that strong-pulse implementations, where a strong pulse is included as a reference, allow for key distribution robust against photon-number-splitting attacks.

Nonequilibrium patterns in open systems are ubiquitous in nature, with examples as diverse as desert sand dunes, animal coat patterns such as zebra stripes, or geographic patterns in parasitic insect populations. A theoretical foundation that explains the basic features of a large class of patterns was given by Turing in the context of chemical reactions and the biological process of morphogenesis. Analogs of Turing patterns have also been studied in optical systems where diffusion of matter is replaced by diffraction of light. The unique features of polaritons in semiconductor microcavities allow us to go one step further and to study Turing patterns in an interacting coherentquantum fluid. We demonstrate formation and control of these patterns. We also demonstrate the promise of these quantum Turing patterns for applications, such as low-intensity ultra-fast all-optical switches.

We have investigated the coherent mesoscopic transport through a quantum-dot (QD) embedded carbon nanotube ring (CNR) by employing the nonequilibrium Green's function (NGF) technique. The Landauer-Büttiker-like formula is presented to calculate the differential conductance and current-voltage characteristics. Due to the interference of the electrons transporting in the two paths of CNR, the resultant conductivity of electron through the system is determined by the compound concrete structure of CNR-QD system. The tunneling current appears quantum behavior obviously in the small region of source-drain bias. The conductance is adjusted by the gate voltage Vg and the magnetic flux φ. The reversal resonance has been displayed versus the gate voltage, and it is symmetric about Vg for the type I CNR, but it is asymmetric for the type II CNR. The phase inverse oscillations are also presented for the different types of CNRs.

The endeavour of quantum electronics is driven by one of the most ambitious technological goals of today's scientists: the realization of an operational quantum computer (http://qurope.eu). We started to address this goal by the new research field of molecular quantum spintronics. The building blocks are magnetic molecules, i.e. well-defined spin qubits. We will discuss this still largely unexplored field and present our first results: For example, using a molecular spin-transistor, we achieved the electronic read-out of the nuclear spin of an individual metal atom embedded in an SMM. We could show very long spin lifetimes (>10 s). Using the hyperfine Stark effect, which transforms electric fields into local effective magnetic fields, we could not only tune the resonance frequency by several MHz, but also perform coherentquantum manipulations on a single nuclear qubit faster than a μs by means of electrical fields only, establishing the individual addressability of identical nuclear qubits. Using three different microwave frequencies, we could implement a simple four-level Grover algorithm. S. Thiele, F. Balestro, R. Ballou, S. Klyatskaya, M. Ruben, W. Wernsdorfer, Science 344, 1135 (2014).

Molecular ro-vibronic coherences, joint energy-time distributions of quantum amplitudes, are selectively prepared, manipulated, and imaged in time-frequency-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (TFRCARS) measurements using femtosecond laser pulses. The studies are implemented in iodine vapor, with its thermally occupied statistical ro-vibrational density serving as initial state. The evolution of the massive ro-vibronic superpositions, consisting of 10 3 eigenstates, is followed through two-dimensional images. The first- and second-order coherences are captured using time-integrated frequency-resolved CARS, while the third-order coherence is captured using time-gated frequency-resolved CARS. The Fourier filtering provided by time-integrated detection projects out single ro-vibronic transitions, while time-gated detection allows the projection of arbitrary ro-vibronic superpositions from the coherent third-order polarization. A detailed analysis of the data is provided to highlight the salient features of this four-wave mixing process. The richly patterned images of the ro-vibrational coherences can be understood in terms of phase evolution in rotation-vibration-electronic Hilbert space, using time-circuit diagrams. Beside the control and imaging of chemistry, the controlled manipulation of massive quantumcoherences suggests the possibility of quantum computing. We argue that the universal logic gates necessary for arbitrary quantum computing - all single qubit operations and the two-qubit controlled-NOT (CNOT) gate - are available in time-resolved four-wave mixing in a molecule. The molecular rotational manifold is naturally "wired" for carrying out all single qubit operations efficiently, and in parallel. We identify vibronic coherences as one example of a naturally available two-qubit CNOT gate, wherein the vibrational qubit controls the switching of the targeted electronic qubit.

In this work, the effects of quantum interference and spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) are theoretically analyzed in a four-level system of a {sup 87}Rb atom. For the effects of SGC, we find that a new kind of electromagnetically induced transparency channel can be induced due to destructive interference, and the nonlinear Kerr absorption can be coherently narrowed or eliminated under different strengths of the coupling and switching fields.

We established a theoretical framework in terms of the curl flux, population landscape, and coherence for non-equilibrium quantum systems at steady state, through exploring the energy and charge transport in molecular processes. The curl quantum flux plays the key role in determining transport properties and the system reaches equilibrium when flux vanishes. The novel curl quantum flux reflects the degree of non-equilibriumness and the time-irreversibility. We found an analytical expression for the quantum flux and its relationship to the environmental pumping (non-equilibriumness quantified by the voltage away from the equilibrium) and the quantum tunneling. Furthermore, we investigated another quantum signature, the coherence, quantitatively measured by the non-zero off diagonal element of the density matrix. Populations of states give the probabilities of individual states and therefore quantify the population landscape. Both curl flux and coherence depend on steady state population landscape. Besides the environment-assistance which can give dramatic enhancement of coherence and quantum flux with high voltage at a fixed tunneling strength, the quantum flux is promoted by the coherence in the regime of small tunneling while reduced by the coherence in the regime of large tunneling, due to the non-monotonic relationship between the coherence and tunneling. This is in contrast to the previously found linear relationship. For the systems coupled to bosonic (photonic and phononic) reservoirs the flux is significantly promoted at large voltage while for fermionic (electronic) reservoirs the flux reaches a saturation after a significant enhancement at large voltage due to the Pauli exclusion principle. In view of the system as a quantum heat engine, we studied the non-equilibrium thermodynamics and established the analytical connections of curl quantum flux to the transport quantities such as energy (charge) transfer efficiency, chemical reaction efficiency, energy

A generic and intuitive model for coherent energy transport in multiple minima systems coupled to a quantum mechanical bath is shown. Using a simple spin-boson system, we illustrate how a generic donor-acceptor system can be brought into resonance using a narrow band of vibrational modes, such that the transfer efficiency of an electron-hole pair (exciton) is made arbitrarily high. Coherent transport phenomena in nature are of renewed interest since the discovery that a photon captured by the light-harvesting complex (LHC) in photosynthetic organisms can be conveyed to a chemical reaction centre with near-perfect efficiency. Classical explanations of the transfer use stochastic diffusion to model the hopping motion of a photo-excited exciton. This accounts inadequately for the speed and efficiency of the energy transfer measured in a series of recent landmark experiments. Taking a quantum mechanical perspective can help capture the salient features of the efficient part of that transfer. To show the versatility of the model, we extend it to a multiple minima system comprising seven-sites, reminiscent of the widely studied Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) light-harvesting complex. We show that an idealised transport model for multiple minima coupled to a narrow-band phonon can transport energy with arbitrarily high efficiency. PMID:24980547

The surface decoration of graphene offers great opportunities because graphene is a fully open system. Functional defects, p/n type doping, spin polarization, and additional spin-orbit interactions can be introduced when atoms are absorbed from an external source. Researchers are even considering inducing topologically nontrivial gaps inside the Dirac cone. Despite the potential advances, however, an important problem remains that surface absorption, along with introducing the required functionality, induces additional electronic scattering Such scattering may suppress the coherence of the Dirac fermions and may even disable these desired quantum states. Here we report on the unexpected increase of the dephasing lengths of a graphene sheet caused by the deposition of Pd nanoclusters, demonstrated by weak localization measurements. The dephasing lengths reached saturated values at low temperatures, essentially related to zero-temperature dephasing. The temperature-dependent dephasing was described by 1/(TlnT) and the saturated dephasing period was found to depend on σle. This reveals disorder-induced zero-temperature dephasing in our defect-enriched graphene. Combined with theoretical calculations, we suggest that competition between surface scattering and charge transfer leads to the improvement of quantumcoherence in cluster-decorated graphene. (in review)

Optomechanical systems with ultrastrong coupling could demonstrate nonlinear optical effects such as photon blockade. The system-bath couplings in these systems play an essential role in observing these effects. In this work, we use a dressed-state master equation approach to study the quantumcoherence of an optomechanical system. In this approach, the system-bath couplings are decomposed in terms of the eigenbasis of the optomechanical system, where the mechanical state is displaced by finite photon occupation. Compared with the standard master equation often seen in the literature, our master equation includes photon-number-dependent terms that induce dephasing. We calculate cavity dephasing, second-order photon correlation, and two-cavity entanglement using the dressed-state master equation. At high temperature, our master equation predicts faster decay of the quantumcoherence than with the standard master equation. The second-order photon correlation derived with our master equation shows less antibunching than that with the standard master equation. This work is supported by awards from DARPA, NSF, JSPS (Japan), MOST (Taiwan) and NTU (Taiwan).

In the search for long-lived quantumcoherence in spin systems, vanadium(IV) complexes have shown record phase memory times among molecular systems. When nuclear spin-free ligands are employed, vanadium(IV) complexes can show at low temperature sufficiently long quantumcoherence times, Tm, to perform quantum operations, but their use in real devices operating at room temperature is still hampered by the rapid decrease of T1 caused by the efficient spin-phonon coupling. In this work we have investigated the effect of different coordination environments on the magnetization dynamics and the quantumcoherence of two vanadium(IV)-based potential molecular spin qubits in the solid state by introducing a unique structural difference, i.e., an oxovanadium(IV) in a square pyramidal versus a vanadium(IV) in an octahedral environment featuring the same coordinating ligand, namely, the 1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate. This investigation, performed by a combined approach of alternate current (ac) susceptibility measurements and continuous wave (CW) and pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies revealed that the effectiveness of the vanadyl moiety in enhancing quantumcoherence up to room temperature is related to a less effective mechanism of spin-lattice relaxation that can be quantitatively evaluated by the exponent n (ca. 3) of the temperature dependence of the relaxation rate. A more rapid collapse is observed for the non-oxo counterpart (n = 4) hampering the observation of quantumcoherence at room temperature. Record coherence time at room temperature (1.04 μs) and Rabi oscillations are also observed for the vanadyl derivative in a very high concentrated material (5 ± 1%) as a result of the additional benefit provided by the use of a nuclear spin-free ligand. PMID:27517709

We develop and present an improvement to the conventional technique for solving the Hierarchical Equations of Motion (HEOM), which can reduce the memory cost by up to 75% while retaining the same (or even better) convergence rate and accuracy. This allows for a full calculation of the population dynamics of the 24-site FMO trimer for long time scales with very little effort, and we present the first fully converged, exact results for the 7-site subsystem of the monomer, and for the full 24-site trimer. We then show where our exact 7-site results deviate from the approximation of Ishizaki and Fleming [A. Ishizaki and G. R. Fleming, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 2009, 106, 17255]. Our exact results are then compared to calculations using the incoherent Förster theory, and it is found that the time scale of energy transfer is roughly the same, regardless of whether or not coherence is considered. This means that coherence is not likely to improve the efficiency of the transfer. In fact, the incoherent theory often tends to overpredict the rates of energy transfer, suggesting that, in some cases, quantumcoherence may actually slow the photosynthetic process. PMID:26575775

The phase coherent photorefractive (PCP) effect in different ZnSe quantum well structures and its dependence on various extrinsic and intrinsic parameters have been investigated using 90 fs laser pulse in a two-beam four-wave-mixing (FWM) configuration. At low excitation intensities the signal is dominated by the PCP effect (which is attributed to a long living electron grating formed in the QW due to coherent QW excitons) and pulse overlap (PO) effect while at high excitation intensities it is governed by chi(3) FWM processes and the PO effect. With increasing excitation intensity the signal dip at pulse overlap (tau ≈ 0 ) which is characteristic for the destructive interference between the PO and PCP effect shifts to positive delay times tau > 0. The higher PCP diffraction efficiency value of ˜1.5 x10-3 in QW B (Zn0.92Mg0.08Se/ZnSe) as compared to the value of ˜3.5 x 10-4 in QW A (Zn0.94Mg 0.06Se/ZnSe) at 55 K is attributed to an increased Mg concentration in the barrier of QW B leading to a higher captured equilibrium electron density ne. Repetition rate dependent measurements on QW B show a drop of the diffraction efficiency for repetition times larger than 1.25 mus which is attributed to the reduction of the electron grating amplitude due to thermally activated electron tunneling. FWM experiments on two 10 nm ZnSe QWs with different barrier thicknesses of 20 (QW1) and 50 nm (QW2) between the QW and substrate show a redshift of the exciton line and an increased exciton dephasing rate due to increasing E-field induced tilt of the QW structure indicating an increased density of captured electrons ne. At temperatures below 35 K and laser excitation close to the exciton energy the creation of trions significantly compensates the formation of the spatially modulated electron density grating. At lower excitation energies increasing space-charge-fields significantly tilt the QW which reduces the trion binding energy leading to an enhanced thermal ionization of

We demonstrate the extension of coherence between all four two-electron spin ground states of an InAs quantum dot molecule (QDM) via nonlocal suppression of nuclear spin fluctuations in two vertically stacked quantum dots (QDs), while optically addressing only the top QD transitions. Long coherence times are revealed through dark-state spectroscopy as resulting from nuclear spin locking mediated by the exchange interaction between the QDs. Line shape analysis provides the first measurement of the quieting of the Overhauser field distribution correlating with reduced nuclear spin fluctuations.

We demonstrate the extension of coherence between all four two-electron spin ground states of an InAs quantum dot molecule (QDM) via nonlocal suppression of nuclear spin fluctuations in two vertically stacked quantum dots (QDs), while optically addressing only the top QD transitions. Long coherence times are revealed through dark-state spectroscopy as resulting from nuclear spin locking mediated by the exchange interaction between the QDs. Line shape analysis provides the first measurement of the quieting of the Overhauser field distribution correlating with reduced nuclear spin fluctuations. PMID:27563998

Conventional plasmonic sensors are based on the intrinsic resonances of metallic nanoparticles. In such sensors wavelength shift of such resonances are used to detect biological molecules. Recently we introduced ultra-sensitive timedomain nanosensors based on the way variations in the environmental conditions influence coherent dynamics of hybrid systems consisting of metallic nanoparticles and quantum dots. Such dynamics are generated via interaction of these systems with a laser field, generating quantumcoherence and coherent exciton-plasmon coupling. These sensors are based on impact of variations of the refractive index of the environment on such dynamics, generating time-dependent changes in the emission of the QDs. In this paper we study the impact of material properties of the metallic nanoparticles on this process and demonstrate the key role played by the design of the quantum dots. We show that Ag nanoparticles, even in a simple spherical shape, may allow these sensors to operate at room temperature, owing to the special properties of quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle systems that may allow coherent effects utilized in such sensors happen in the presence of the ultrafast polarization dephasing of quantum dots.

Based on the second-order quantum interference between frequency entangled photons that are generated by parametric down conversion, a quantum strategic algorithm for synchronizing two spatially separated clocks has been recently presented. In the reference frame of a Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interferometer, photon correlations are used to define simultaneous events. Once the HOM interferometer is balanced by use of an adjustable optical delay in one arm, arrival times of simulta- neously generated photons are recorded by each clock. The clock offset is determined by correlation measurement of the recorded arrival times. Utilizing this algorithm, we demonstrate a proof-of-principle experiment for synchronizing two clocks separated by 4 km fiber link. A minimum timing stability of 0.44 ps at averaging time of 16000 s is achieved with an absolute time accuracy of 73.2 ps. The timing stability is verified to be limited by the correlation measurement device and ideally can be better than 10 fs. Such results shine a light to the application of quantum clock synchronization in the real high-accuracy timing system. PMID:27452276

Based on the second-order quantum interference between frequency entangled photons that are generated by parametric down conversion, a quantum strategic algorithm for synchronizing two spatially separated clocks has been recently presented. In the reference frame of a Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interferometer, photon correlations are used to define simultaneous events. Once the HOM interferometer is balanced by use of an adjustable optical delay in one arm, arrival times of simulta- neously generated photons are recorded by each clock. The clock offset is determined by correlation measurement of the recorded arrival times. Utilizing this algorithm, we demonstrate a proof-of-principle experiment for synchronizing two clocks separated by 4 km fiber link. A minimum timing stability of 0.44 ps at averaging time of 16000 s is achieved with an absolute time accuracy of 73.2 ps. The timing stability is verified to be limited by the correlation measurement device and ideally can be better than 10 fs. Such results shine a light to the application of quantum clock synchronization in the real high-accuracy timing system. PMID:27452276

Based on the second-order quantum interference between frequency entangled photons that are generated by parametric down conversion, a quantum strategic algorithm for synchronizing two spatially separated clocks has been recently presented. In the reference frame of a Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interferometer, photon correlations are used to define simultaneous events. Once the HOM interferometer is balanced by use of an adjustable optical delay in one arm, arrival times of simulta- neously generated photons are recorded by each clock. The clock offset is determined by correlation measurement of the recorded arrival times. Utilizing this algorithm, we demonstrate a proof-of-principle experiment for synchronizing two clocks separated by 4 km fiber link. A minimum timing stability of 0.44 ps at averaging time of 16000 s is achieved with an absolute time accuracy of 73.2 ps. The timing stability is verified to be limited by the correlation measurement device and ideally can be better than 10 fs. Such results shine a light to the application of quantum clock synchronization in the real high-accuracy timing system.

Classical chemical kinetics uses rate-equation models to describe how a reaction proceeds in time. Such models are sufficient for describing state transitions in a reaction where coherences between different states do not arise, in other words, a reaction that contains only incoherent transitions. A prominent example of a reaction containing coherent transitions is the radical-pair model. The kinetics of such reactions is defined by the so-called reaction operator that determines the radical-pair state as a function of intermediate transition rates. We argue that the well-known concept of quantum walks from quantum information theory is a natural and apt framework for describing multisite chemical reactions. By composing Kraus maps that act only on two sites at a time, we show how the quantum-walk formalism can be applied to derive a reaction operator for the standard avian radical-pair reaction. Our reaction operator predicts the same recombination dephasing rate as the conventional Haberkorn model, which is consistent with recent experiments [K. Maeda et al., J. Chem. Phys. 139, 234309 (2013), 10.1063/1.4844355], in contrast to previous work by Jones and Hore [J. A. Jones and P. J. Hore, Chem. Phys. Lett. 488, 90 (2010), 10.1016/j.cplett.2010.01.063]. The standard radical-pair reaction has conventionally been described by either a normalized density operator incorporating both the radical pair and reaction products or a trace-decreasing density operator that considers only the radical pair. We demonstrate a density operator that is both normalized and refers only to radical-pair states. Generalizations to include additional dephasing processes and an arbitrary number of sites are also discussed.

We propose a scheme for continuous-variable quantum cloning of coherent states with phase-conjugate input modes using linear optics. The quantum cloning machine yields M identical optimal clones from N replicas of a coherent state and N replicas of its phase conjugate. This scheme can be straightforwardly implemented with the setups accessible at present since its optical implementation only employs simple linear optical elements and homodyne detection. Compared with the original scheme for continuous-variable quantum cloning with phase-conjugate input modes proposed by Cerf and Iblisdir [Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 247903 (2001)], which utilized a nondegenerate optical parametric amplifier, our scheme loses the output of phase-conjugate clones and is regarded as irreversible quantum cloning.

We report a theoretical study of the macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) in small Josephson junctions containing randomly distributed two-level systems. We focus on a Josephson phase escape for switching from the superconducting (the zero-voltage) state to a resistive one. Above the crossover temperature Tc r the thermal fluctuations of the Josephson phase induce such a switching, and as T quantum). We explain this effect quantitatively by a strong resonant suppression of the potential barrier for the Josephson phase escape that is due to the coherentquantum Rabi oscillations in two-level systems present in the junction.

We review the spin radical pair mechanism which is a promising explanation of avian navigation. This mechanism is based on the dependence of product yields on 1) the hyperfine interaction involving electron spins and neighboring nuclear spins and 2) the intensity and orientation of the geomagnetic field. One surprising result is that even at ambient conditions quantum entanglement of electron spins can play an important role in avian magnetoreception. This review describes the general scheme of chemical reactions involving radical pairs generated from singlet and triplet precursors; the spin dynamics of the radical pairs; and the magnetic field dependence of product yields caused by the radical pair mechanism. The main part of the review includes a description of the chemical compass in birds. We review: the general properties of the avian compass; the basic scheme of the radical pair mechanism; the reaction kinetics in cryptochrome; quantumcoherence and entanglement in the avian compass; and the effects of noise. We believe that the quantum avian compass can play an important role in avian navigation and can also provide the foundation for a new generation of sensitive and selective magnetic-sensing nano-devices.

Sonoluminescence, or its more frequently studied version known as Single Bubble Sonoluminescence, consisting in the emission of light by a collapsing bubble in water under ultrasounds, represents one of the most challenging and interesting phenomenon in theoretical physics. In fact, despite its relatively easy reproducibility in a simple laboratory, its understanding within the commonly accepted picture of condensed matter remained so far unsatisfactory. On the other hand, the possibility to control the physical process involved in sonoluminescence, representing a sort of nuclear fusion on small scale, could open unthinkable prospects of free energy production from water. Different explanations has been proposed during the past years considering, in various way, the photoemission to be related to electromagnetic Zero Point Field energy dynamics, by considering the bubble surface as a Casimir force boundary. More recently a model invoking Cherenkov radiation emission from superluminal photons generated in quantum vacuum has been successfully proposed. In this paper it will be shown that the same results can be more generally explained and quantitative obtained within a QED coherent dynamics of quantum vacuum, according to which the electromagnetic energy of the emitted photons would be related to the latent heat involved in the phase transition from water's vapor to liquid phase during the bubble collapse. The proposed approach could also suggest an explanation of a possible mechanism of generation of faster than light (FTL) photons required to start Cherenkov radiation as well as possible applications to energy production from quantum vacuum.

Free-space optical communication channels offer secure links with low probability of interception and detection. Despite their point-to-point topology, additional security features may be required in privacy-critical applications. Encryption can be achieved at the physical layer by using quantized values of photons, which makes exploitation of such quantum communication links extremely difficult. One example of such technology is keyed communication in quantum noise, a novel quantum modulation protocol that offers ultra-secure communication with competitive performance characteristics. Its utilization relies on specific coherent measurements to decrypt the signal. The process of measurements is complicated by the inherent and irreducible quantum noise of coherent states. This problem is different from traditional laser communication with coherent detection; therefore continuous efforts are being made to improve the measurement techniques. Quantum-based encryption systems that use the phase of the signal as the information carrier impose aggressive requirements on the accuracy of the measurements when an unauthorized party attempts intercepting the data stream. Therefore, analysis of the secrecy of the data becomes extremely important. In this paper, we present the results of a study that had a goal of assessment of potential vulnerability of the running key. Basic results of the laboratory measurements are combined with simulation studies and statistical analysis that can be used for both conceptual improvement of the encryption approach and for quantitative comparison of secrecy of different quantum communication protocols.

Quantum information technologies harness the intrinsic nature of quantum theory to beat the limitations of the classical methods for information processing and communication. Recently, the application of quantum features to metrology has attracted much attention. Quantum optical coherence tomography (QOCT), which utilizes two-photon interference between entangled photon pairs, is a promising approach to overcome the problem with optical coherence tomography (OCT): As the resolution of OCT becomes higher, degradation of the resolution due to dispersion within the medium becomes more critical. Here we report on the realization of 0.54 μm resolution two-photon interference, which surpasses the current record resolution 0.75 μm of low-coherence interference for OCT. In addition, the resolution for QOCT showed almost no change against the dispersion of a 1 mm thickness of water inserted in the optical path, whereas the resolution for OCT dramatically degrades. For this experiment, a highly-efficient chirped quasi-phase-matched lithium tantalate device was developed using a novel ‘nano-electrode-poling’ technique. The results presented here represent a breakthrough for the realization of quantum protocols, including QOCT, quantum clock synchronization, and more. Our work will open up possibilities for medical and biological applications

Quantum information technologies harness the intrinsic nature of quantum theory to beat the limitations of the classical methods for information processing and communication. Recently, the application of quantum features to metrology has attracted much attention. Quantum optical coherence tomography (QOCT), which utilizes two-photon interference between entangled photon pairs, is a promising approach to overcome the problem with optical coherence tomography (OCT): As the resolution of OCT becomes higher, degradation of the resolution due to dispersion within the medium becomes more critical. Here we report on the realization of 0.54 μm resolution two-photon interference, which surpasses the current record resolution 0.75 μm of low-coherence interference for OCT. In addition, the resolution for QOCT showed almost no change against the dispersion of a 1 mm thickness of water inserted in the optical path, whereas the resolution for OCT dramatically degrades. For this experiment, a highly-efficient chirped quasi-phase-matched lithium tantalate device was developed using a novel 'nano-electrode-poling' technique. The results presented here represent a breakthrough for the realization of quantum protocols, including QOCT, quantum clock synchronization, and more. Our work will open up possibilities for medical and biological applications. PMID:26657190

Quantum information technologies harness the intrinsic nature of quantum theory to beat the limitations of the classical methods for information processing and communication. Recently, the application of quantum features to metrology has attracted much attention. Quantum optical coherence tomography (QOCT), which utilizes two-photon interference between entangled photon pairs, is a promising approach to overcome the problem with optical coherence tomography (OCT): As the resolution of OCT becomes higher, degradation of the resolution due to dispersion within the medium becomes more critical. Here we report on the realization of 0.54 μm resolution two-photon interference, which surpasses the current record resolution 0.75 μm of low-coherence interference for OCT. In addition, the resolution for QOCT showed almost no change against the dispersion of a 1 mm thickness of water inserted in the optical path, whereas the resolution for OCT dramatically degrades. For this experiment, a highly-efficient chirped quasi-phase-matched lithium tantalate device was developed using a novel ‘nano-electrode-poling’ technique. The results presented here represent a breakthrough for the realization of quantum protocols, including QOCT, quantum clock synchronization, and more. Our work will open up possibilities for medical and biological applications PMID:26657190

Over the millennia various hominoids and hominids have subsisted on very different dietaries, depending on climate, hunting proficiency, food-processing technology, and available foods. The Australopithecines were not browsers and fruit-eaters with very high intakes of vitamin C; rather they were scavengers of kills made by other animals. The hominids who followed did include some cold-climate hunters of large game, but the amount of animal protein decreased with the advent of grain-gathering and decreased further with the introduction of cereal agriculture, with a concomitant decrease in body size. From what we know about food adequacy, preparation, and storage, the notion that the postulated "primitive" diet was generally adequate, safe, and prudent can be rejected. Over evolutionary time, many of our ancestors ate poorly, especially during climate extremes, and they were often at risk for vitamin deficiencies, food-borne diseases, and neurotoxins. Until the advent of modern processing technologies, dirt, grit, and fiber constituted a large part of most early diets. PMID:2689923

We investigate the security of continuous-variable quantum key distribution using coherent states and reverse reconciliation against Gaussian individual attacks based on an optimal Gaussian 1{yields}2 cloning machine. We provide an implementation of the optimal Gaussian individual attack. We also find a Bell-measurement attack which works without delayed choice of measurements and has better performance than the cloning attack.

A pulse sequence for localized in vivo1H NMR spectroscopy is presented, which selectively filters single-quantumcoherence built up by strongly coupled spin systems. Uncoupled and weakly coupled spin systems do not contribute to the signal output. Analytical calculations using a product operator description of the strongly coupled AB spin system as well as in vitro tests demonstrate that the proposed filter produces a signal output for a strongly coupled AB spin system, whereas the resonances of a weakly coupled AX spin system and of uncoupled spins are widely suppressed. As a potential application, the detection of the strongly coupled AA‧BB‧ spin system of taurine at 1.5 T is discussed.

We report high resolution coherent population trapping on a single hole spin in a semiconductor quantum dot. The absorption dip signifying the formation of a dark state exhibits an atomic physicslike dip width of just 10 MHz. We observe fluctuations in the absolute frequency of the absorption dip, evidence of very slow spin dephasing. We identify the cause of this process as charge noise by, first, demonstrating that the hole spin g factor in this configuration (in-plane magnetic field) is strongly dependent on the vertical electric field, and second, by characterizing the charge noise through its effects on the optical transition frequency. An important conclusion is that charge noise is an important hole spin dephasing process.

We propose several schemes to realize a tractor beam effect for ultracold atoms in the vicinity of a few-mode nanowaveguide. Atoms trapped near the waveguide are transported in a direction opposite to the guided mode propagation direction. We analyse three specific examples for ultracold 23Na atoms trapped near a specific nanowaveguide (i.e. an optical nanofibre): (i) a conveyor belt-type tractor beam effect, (ii) an accelerator tractor beam effect, and (iii) a quantumcoherent tractor beam effect, all of which can effectively pull atoms along the nanofibre toward the light source. This technique provides a new tool for controlling the motion of particles near nanowaveguides with potential applications in the study of particle transport and binding as well as atom interferometry. PMID:27440516

We propose several schemes to realize a tractor beam effect for ultracold atoms in the vicinity of a few-mode nanowaveguide. Atoms trapped near the waveguide are transported in a direction opposite to the guided mode propagation direction. We analyse three specific examples for ultracold (23)Na atoms trapped near a specific nanowaveguide (i.e. an optical nanofibre): (i) a conveyor belt-type tractor beam effect, (ii) an accelerator tractor beam effect, and (iii) a quantumcoherent tractor beam effect, all of which can effectively pull atoms along the nanofibre toward the light source. This technique provides a new tool for controlling the motion of particles near nanowaveguides with potential applications in the study of particle transport and binding as well as atom interferometry. PMID:27440516

We propose several schemes to realize a tractor beam effect for ultracold atoms in the vicinity of a few-mode nanowaveguide. Atoms trapped near the waveguide are transported in a direction opposite to the guided mode propagation direction. We analyse three specific examples for ultracold 23Na atoms trapped near a specific nanowaveguide (i.e. an optical nanofibre): (i) a conveyor belt-type tractor beam effect, (ii) an accelerator tractor beam effect, and (iii) a quantumcoherent tractor beam effect, all of which can effectively pull atoms along the nanofibre toward the light source. This technique provides a new tool for controlling the motion of particles near nanowaveguides with potential applications in the study of particle transport and binding as well as atom interferometry.

A plasmon-like phenomenon, arising from coinciding resonant excitations of different electronic characteristics in 1D silver nanowires, has been proposed based on theoretical linear absorption spectra. Such a molecular plasmon holds the potential for anisotropic nanoplasmonic applications. However, its dynamical nature remains unexplored. In this work, quantum dynamics of longitudinal and transverse excitations in 1D silver nanowires are carried out within the real-time time-dependent density functional theory framework. The anisotropic electron dynamics confirm that the transverse transitions of different electronic characteristics are collective in nature and oscillate in-phase with respect to each other. Analysis of the time evolutions of participating one-electron wave functions suggests that the transverse transitions form a coherent wave packet that gives rise to a strong plasmon resonance at the molecular level.

We have studied the coherent spin dynamics of excitons bound to acceptors, A0X, immersed in a CdTe quantum well by using time resolved photo-induced Faraday rotation. We have also measured the time-resolved differential transmission in order to determine a A0X lifetime of 220 ps, which is independent of the applied magnetic field. We show that at low magnetic field, the spin of A0X is completely frozen during a time, ≅ 4.5 ns, at least twenty times longer than its lifetime. We compare the spin properties of A0X with the spin properties of other charged excitons systems, and we conclude that the hyperfine interaction of the photo-created electron spin with nuclear spins is very likely to be at the origin of the observed spin dephasing times.

We demonstrate wide-field real-time and depth-resolved contrast enhanced holographic imaging (CEHI) using the all-optical phase coherent photorefractive effect in ZnSe quantum wells. Moving objects are imaged at large depth-of-field by the local enhancement of a static reference hologram. The high refresh rate of the holographic films enables direct-to-video monitoring of floating glass beads and of living Paramecium and Euglena cells moving in water. Depth resolution is achieved by tilting the incident laser beam with respect to the normal of the cuvette. This creates double images of the objects, which are analyzed geometrically and with Fresnel diffraction theory. A two-color CEHI set-up further enables the visualization of a concealed 95 µm thick wire behind a thin layer of chicken skin. PMID:26074534

A modification of the widespread phenomenological model theory of multiple-quantum (MQ) nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of a single cluster of correlated spins has been developed. In contrast to the mentioned theory, the size distribution of such clusters has been consistently taken into account. To obtain the distribution, solutions for the amplitudes of the expansion in the complete set of orthogonal operators are used. Expressions specifying the dependence of the profile of the intensities of MQ coherences on their number n (order) have been obtained. The total form of the dependence has been evaluated by means of the numerical implementation of the resulting expressions. The asymptotic expressions for large n values (wings of the spectrum) have been obtained analytically by the saddle-point method. It has been shown that the dependence under study has a Gaussian central part and exponential wings. The results obtained are in agreement with the previous calculations for some model systems and existing experimental data.

The near-unity efficiency of energy transfer in photosynthesis makes photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes a promising avenue for developing new renewable energy technologies. Knowledge of the energy landscape of these complexes is essential in understanding their function, but its experimental determination has proven elusive. Here, the observation of quantumcoherence using two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy is employed to directly measure the 14 lowest electronic energy levels in light-harvesting complex II (LHCII), the most abundant antenna complex in plants containing approximately 50% of the world's chlorophyll. We observe that the electronically excited states are relatively evenly distributed, highlighting an important design principle of photosynthetic complexes that explains the observed ultrafast intracomplex energy transfer in LHCII. PMID:20014871

We reexamine a non-Gaussian quantum error-correction code designed to protect optical coherent-state qubits against errors due to an amplitude-damping channel. We improve on a previous result [R. Wickert, N. K. Bernardes, and P. van Loock, Phys. Rev. A 81, 062344 (2010), 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.062344] by providing a tighter upper bound on the performance attained when considering realistic assumptions, which constrain the operation of the gates employed in the scheme. The quantitative characterization is performed through measures of fidelity and concurrence, the latter obtained by employing the code as an entanglement distillation protocol. We find that, when running the code in fully deterministic error-correction mode, direct transmission can only be beaten for certain combinations of channel and input state parameters. In contrast, in error-detection mode, the usage of higher repetition encodings remains beneficial throughout, however, at the expense of diminishing success probabilities.

The behavior of the Goos-Hänchen (GH) shifts of the reflected and transmitted probe and signal pulses through a cavity containing four-level GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells with 15 periods of 17.5 nm GaAs wells and 15-nm Al0.3Ga0.7As barriers is theoretically discussed. The biexciton coherence set up by two coupling fields can induce the destructive interference to control the absorption and gain properties of probe field under appropriate conditions. It is realized that for the specific values of the intensities and the relative phase of applied fields, the simultaneous negative or positive GH shift in the transmitted and reflected light beam can be obtained via amplification in a probe light. It is found that by adjusting the controllable parameters, the GH shifts can be switched between the large positive and negative values in the medium. Moreover, the effect of exciton spin relaxation on the GH shift has also been discussed. We find that the exciton spin relaxation can manipulate the behavior of GH shift in the reflected and transmitted probe beam through the cavity. We show that by controlling the incident angles of probe beam and under certain conditions, the GH shifts in the reflected and transmitted probe beams can become either negative or positive corresponding to the superluminal or subluminal light propagation. Our proposed model may supply a new prospect in technological applications for the light amplification in optical sensors working on quantumcoherence impacts in solid-state systems.

Shot noise of electrons that are transmitted with probability T through a quantum point contact (biased at a voltage V0) leads to a fluctuating current that in turn emits radiation in the microwave regime. By calculating the Fano factor F for the case where only a single channel contributes to the transport, it has been shown that the radiation produced at finite frequency ω0 close to e V0/ℏ and at low temperatures is nonclassical with sub-Poissonian statistics (F <1 ). The origin of this effect is the fermionic nature of the electrons producing the radiation, which reduces the probability of simultaneous emission of two or more photons. However, the Fano factor, being a time-averaged quantity, offers only limited information about the system. Here, we calculate the second-order coherence g(2 )(τ ) for this source of radiation. We show that due to the interference of two contributions, two photon processes (leading to bunching) are completely absent at zero temperature for T =50 % . At low temperatures, we find a competition of the contribution due to Gaussian current-current fluctuations (leading to bunching) with the one due to non-Gaussian fluctuations (leading to antibunching). At slightly elevated temperatures, the non-Gaussian contribution becomes suppressed, whereas the Gaussian contributions remain largely independent of temperature. We show that the competition of the two contributions leads to a nonmonotonic behavior of the second-order coherence as a function of time. As a result, g(2 )(τ ) obtains a minimal value for times τ*≃ω0-1 . Close to this time, the second-order coherence remains below 1 at temperatures where the Fano factor is already above 1. We identify realistic experimental parameters that can be used to test the sub-Poissonian nature of the radiation.

Controlling π-electrons with delocalized character is one of the fundamental issues in femtosecond and attosecond chemistry. Localization of π-electron rotation by using laser pulses is expected to play an essential role in nanoscience. The π-electron rotation created at a selected aromatic ring of a single molecule induces a local intense electromagnetic field, which is a new type of ultrafast optical control functioning. We propose a quantum localization of coherent π-electron angular momentum in (P)-2,2'-biphenol, which is a simple, covalently linked chiral aromatic ring chain molecule. The localization considered here consists of sequential two steps: the first step is to localize the π-electron angular momentum at a selected ring of the two benzene rings, and the other is to maintain the localization. Optimal control theory was used for obtaining the optimized electric fields of linearly polarized laser pulses to realize the localization. The optimal electric fields and the resultant coherent electronic dynamics are analyzed. PMID:26273893

We theoretically investigate the backaction of a sensor quantum dot with strong local Coulomb repulsion on the transient dynamics of a qubit that is probed capacitively. We show that the measurement backaction induced by the noise of electron cotunneling through the sensor is surprisingly mitigated by the recently identified coherent backaction [M. Hell, M. R. Wegewijs, and D. P. DiVincenzo, Phys. Rev. B 89, 195405 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevB.89.195405] arising from quantum fluctuations. This indicates that a sensor with quantized states may be switched off better than naively expected. This renormalization effect is missing in semiclassical stochastic fluctuator models and typically also in Born-Markov approaches, which try to avoid the calculation of the nonstationary, nonequilibrium state of the qubit plus sensor. Technically, we integrate out the current-carrying electrodes to obtain kinetic equations for the joint, nonequilibrium detector-qubit dynamics. We show that the sensor current response, level renormalization, cotunneling broadening, and leading non-Markovian corrections always appear together and cannot be turned off individually in an experiment or ignored theoretically. We analyze the backaction on the reduced qubit state—capturing the full non-Markovian effects imposed by the sensor quantum dot on the qubit—by applying a Liouville-space decomposition into quasistationary and rapidly decaying modes. Importantly, the sensor cannot be eliminated completely even in the simplest high-temperature, weak-measurement limit since the qubit state experiences an initial slip depending on the initial preparation of qubit plus sensor quantum dot. The slip persists over many qubit cycles, i.e., also on the time scale of the qubit decoherence induced by the backaction. A quantum-dot sensor can thus not be modeled as usual as a "black box" without accounting for its dynamical variables; it is part of the quantum circuit. We furthermore find that the Bloch vector

Recently the quantum nature in the energy transport in solar cell and light-harvesting complexes have attracted much attention, by being triggered by the experimental observations. We model the light-harvesting complex (i.e., PEB50 dimer) as a quantum heat engine and study the effect of the undamped intra-molecule vibrational modes on the coherent energy transfer and quantum transport. Possibly this system can be artificially simulated by atom-cavity setup. We find that the exciton-vibration interaction has non-trivial contribution to the promotion of quantum yield as well as transport properties of the quantum heat engine at steady state, by enhancing the quantumcoherence quantified by entanglement entropy. The perfect quantum yield over 90% has been obtained, assisted by exciton-vibration coupling. We attribute these improvements to the renormalization of the electronic couplings effectively induced by exciton-vibration interaction and the subsequent delocalization of excitons. Finally we demonstrate that the thermal relaxation and dephasing can help the excitation energy transfer in PEB50 dimer.

By using a variational method of Pekar type, the Fermi Golden Rule and the quantum statistics theory (VMPTFGRQST), we investigate the effects of the hydrogen-like impurity and temperature on the coherence time of a parabolic quantum dot (PQD) qubit with a hydrogen-like impurity at the center. We then derive the ground and the first excited states' (GFES) eigenenergies and the eigenfunctions in a PQD. A single qubit can be realized in this two-level quantum system. The phonon spontaneous emission causes the decoherence of the qubit. The numerical results show that the coherence time is a decreasing function of the temperature, the strength of the Coulombic impurity potential (CIP) and the polaron radius (PR).

The conversion between multiple- and single-quantumcoherences is integral to many nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments of quadrupolar nuclei. This conversion is relatively inefficient when effected by a single pulse, and many composite pulse schemes have been developed to improve this efficiency. To provide the maximum improvement, such schemes typically require time-consuming experimental optimization. Here, we demonstrate an approach for generating amplitude-modulated pulses to enhance the efficiency of the triple- to single-quantum conversion. The optimization is performed using the SIMPSON and MATLAB packages and results in efficient pulses that can be used without experimental reoptimisation. Most significant signal enhancements are obtained when good estimates of the inherent radio-frequency nutation rate and the magnitude of the quadrupolar coupling are used as input to the optimization, but the pulses appear robust to reasonable variations in either parameter, producing significant enhancements compared to a single-pulse conversion, and also comparable or improved efficiency over other commonly used approaches. In all cases, the ease of implementation of our method is advantageous, particularly for cases with low sensitivity, where the improvement is most needed (e.g., low gyromagnetic ratio or high quadrupolar coupling). Our approach offers the potential to routinely improve the sensitivity of high-resolution NMR spectra of nuclei and systems that would, perhaps, otherwise be deemed "too challenging". PMID:25047226

We apply the quantum-walk approach proposed in the preceding paper [A. Chia et al., preceding paper, Phys. Rev. E 93, 032407 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevE.93.032407] to a radical-pair reaction where realistic estimates for the intermediate transition rates are available. The well-known average hitting time from quantum walks can be adopted as a measure of how quickly the reaction occurs and we calculate this for varying degrees of dephasing in the radical pair. The time for the radical pair to react to a product is found to be independent of the amount of dephasing introduced, even in the limit of no dephasing where the transient population dynamics exhibits strong coherent oscillations. This can be seen to arise from the existence of a rate-limiting step in the reaction and we argue that in such examples, a purely classical model based on rate equations can be used for estimating the time scale of the reaction but not necessarily its population dynamics.

This thesis reports a systematic study of near-band edge linear and nonlinear optical properties of doped and undoped semiconductor multiple quantum well samples, aimed at quantifying and separating the numerous contributions to the overall material response from photon excitation. Information obtained from both linear absorption and nonlinear, degenerate four-wave-mixing experiments is compared with elaborate numerical simulations. Accurate measures of 1S--2S binding energies and dephasing rates as a function of temperature from 5 to 40 K is established. The biexciton binding energy and dephasing rate over the temperature range 5 to 40 K is measured and, by comparison with theories reported in the literature, it is found that localization effects have a significant influence on the biexciton binding energy in 5 nm quantum wells. The first systematic attempt to quantitatively account for the continuum contribution to nonlinear response by fitting a series of spectra obtained at various input laser pulse detunings was conducted. Unique evidence for coherent beating between multi-exciton/free electron complexes in lightly doped material was also found.

The conversion between multiple- and single-quantumcoherences is integral to many nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments of quadrupolar nuclei. This conversion is relatively inefficient when effected by a single pulse, and many composite pulse schemes have been developed to improve this efficiency. To provide the maximum improvement, such schemes typically require time-consuming experimental optimization. Here, we demonstrate an approach for generating amplitude-modulated pulses to enhance the efficiency of the triple- to single-quantum conversion. The optimization is performed using the SIMPSON and MATLAB packages and results in efficient pulses that can be used without experimental reoptimisation. Most significant signal enhancements are obtained when good estimates of the inherent radio-frequency nutation rate and the magnitude of the quadrupolar coupling are used as input to the optimization, but the pulses appear robust to reasonable variations in either parameter, producing significant enhancements compared to a single-pulse conversion, and also comparable or improved efficiency over other commonly used approaches. In all cases, the ease of implementation of our method is advantageous, particularly for cases with low sensitivity, where the improvement is most needed (e.g., low gyromagnetic ratio or high quadrupolar coupling). Our approach offers the potential to routinely improve the sensitivity of high-resolution NMR spectra of nuclei and systems that would, perhaps, otherwise be deemed “too challenging”. PMID:25047226

We report magnetotransport measurements in GaAs hole open quantum dots. Our samples were fabricated from a p-type GaAs quantum well with a density of 2.2 x10^15 m-2 and a mobility of 35 m^2/Vs. Two different dots were patterned using e-beam lithography and wet etching. A top gate was added in order to control the dots openings and the hole density. The measurements were performed down to 30 mK with the magnetic field applied perpendicular to the plane of the two- dimensional system. We observed large, reproducible conductance fluctuations associated with the coherent transport of holes inside the dots at lowest temperatures which vanish above 500 mK. From the variance of these fluctuations and from the Random Matrix Theory, we extracted the hole dephasing time τ. The temperature dependence of the calculated τ lies between a T-1 and T-2 behavior and exhibits a saturation at very low temperature which is similar with τ measured in 2D electron systems. B. Hackens et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 146802 (2005).

Recently, the quantum nature in the energy transport in solar cells and light-harvesting complexes has attracted much attention as being triggered by the experimental observations. We model the light-harvesting complex (i.e., PEB50 dimer) as a quantum heat engine (QHE) and study the effect of the undamped intramolecule vibrational modes on the coherent energy-transfer process and quantum transport. We find that the exciton-vibration interaction has nontrivial contribution to the promotion of quantum yield as well as transport properties of the QHE at steady state by enhancing the quantumcoherence quantified by entanglement entropy. The perfect quantum yield over 90% has been obtained, with the exciton-vibration coupling. We attribute these improvements to the renormalization of the electronic couplings effectively induced by exciton-vibration interaction and the subsequent delocalization of excitons. Finally, we demonstrate that the thermal relaxation and dephasing can help the excitation energy transfer in the PEB50 dimer. PMID:25776946

We present a microscopically based scheme for the generation of coherent cavity phonons (phonon laser) by an optically driven semiconductor quantum dot coupled to a THz acoustic nanocavity. External laser pump light on an anti-Stokes resonance creates an effective Lambda system within a two-level dot that leads to coherent phonon statistics. We use an inductive equation of motion method to estimate a realistic parameter range for an experimental realization of such phonon lasers. This scheme for the creation of nonequilibrium phonons is robust with respect to radiative and phononic damping and only requires optical Rabi frequencies of the order of the electron-phonon coupling strength. PMID:23006175

We demonstrate coherent optical control of a single hole spin confined to an InAs/GaAs quantum dot. A superposition of hole-spin states is created by fast (10-100 ps) dissociation of a spin-polarized electron-hole pair. Full control of the hole spin is achieved by combining coherent rotations about two axes: Larmor precession of the hole spin about an external Voigt geometry magnetic field, and rotation about the optical axis due to the geometric phase shift induced by a picosecond laser pulse resonant with the hole-trion transition. PMID:22304289

We investigate the role of quantumcoherence in modulating the energy transfer rate between two independent energy donors and a single acceptor participating in an excitonic energy transfer process. The energy transfer rate depends explicitly on the nature of the initial coherent superposition state of the two donors and we connect it to the observed absorption profile of the acceptor and the stimulated emission profile of the energy donors. We consider simple models with mesoscopic environments interacting with the donors and the acceptor and compare the expression we obtained for the energy transfer rate with the results of numerical integration. PMID:26123739

We propose and analyse a feasible experimental scheme for a quantum force sensor based on the elimination of backaction noise through coherentquantum noise cancellation (CQNC) in a hybrid atom-cavity optomechanical setup assisted with squeezed vacuum injection. The force detector, which allows for a continuous, broadband detection of weak forces well below the standard quantum limit (SQL), is formed by a single optical cavity simultaneously coupled to a mechanical oscillator and to an ensemble of ultracold atoms. The latter acts as a negative-mass oscillator so that atomic noise exactly cancels the backaction noise from the mechanical oscillator due to destructive quantum interference. Squeezed vacuum injection enforces this cancellation and allows sub-SQL sensitivity to be reached in a very wide frequency band, and at much lower input laser powers.

This contribution discusses why we should consider developing artificial photosynthesis with the tandem approach followed by the Dutch BioSolar Cells consortium, a current operational paradigm for a global artificial photosynthesis project. We weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a tandem converter against other approaches, including biomass. Owing to the low density of solar energy per unit area, artificial photosynthetic systems must operate at high efficiency to minimize the land (or sea) area required. In particular, tandem converters are a much better option than biomass for densely populated countries and use two photons per electron extracted from water as the raw material into chemical conversion to hydrogen, or carbon-based fuel when CO2 is also used. For the average total light sum of 40 mol m(-2) d(-1) for The Netherlands, the upper limits are many tons of hydrogen or carbon-based fuel per hectare per year. A principal challenge is to forge materials for quantitative conversion of photons to chemical products within the physical limitation of an internal potential of ca 2.9 V. When going from electric charge in the tandem to hydrogen and back to electricity, only the energy equivalent to 1.23 V can be stored in the fuel and regained. A critical step is then to learn from nature how to use the remaining difference of ca 1.7 V effectively by triple use of one overpotential for preventing recombination, kinetic stabilization of catalytic intermediates and finally generating targeted heat for the release of oxygen. Probably the only way to achieve this is by using bioinspired responsive matrices that have quantum-classical pathways for a coherent conversion of photons to fuels, similar to what has been achieved by natural selection in evolution. In appendix A for the expert, we derive a propagator that describes how catalytic reactions can proceed coherently by a convergence of time scales of quantum electron dynamics and classical nuclear dynamics. We

Nucleic acids theoretically possess a Szilard engine function that can convert the energy associated with the Shannon entropy of molecules for which they have coded recognition, into the useful work of geometric reconfiguration of the nucleic acid molecule. This function is logically reversible because its mechanism is literally and physically constructed out of the information necessary to reduce the Shannon entropy of such molecules, which means that this information exists on both sides of the theoretical engine, and because information is retained in the geometric degrees of freedom of the nucleic acid molecule, a quantum gate is formed through which multi-state nucleic acid qubits can interact. Entangled biophotons emitted as a consequence of symmetry breaking nucleic acid Szilard engine (NASE) function can be used to coordinate relative positioning of different nucleic acid locations, both within and between cells, thus providing the potential for quantumcoherence of an entire biological system. Theoretical implications of understanding biological systems as such 'quantum adaptive systems' include the potential for multi-agent based quantum computing, and a better understanding of systemic pathologies such as cancer, as being related to a loss of systemic quantumcoherence.

In this work we study the resonant and coherent properties of single InP-based InAs quantum dots, which show an optical emission in the telecom C-band and L-band. High-resolution resonant photocurrent spectroscopy on p-i-n devices reveals narrow linewidths and fully resolved fine structure splittings. We observe Lorentzian line shapes, which allow for the extraction of dephasing times as a function of the applied bias voltage. Coherent ps laser excitation results in pronounced Rabi rotations with increasing pulse area. For π-pulse excitation, we obtain more than 93 % of the theoretically expected photocurrent amplitude. Our results also demonstrate that such state-of-the-art InP-based quantum dots for the telecom band exhibit promising key parameters comparable to well-established InAs/GaAs counterparts.

Optical nonlinear effects are examined using a two-color micro-photoluminescence (micro-PL) method in a coherently coupled exciton-biexciton system in a single quantum dot (QD). PL and photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy (PLE) are employed to measure the absorption spectra of the exciton and biexciton states. PLE for Stokes and anti-Stokes PL enables us to clarify the nonlinear optical absorption properties in the lowest exciton and biexciton states. The nonlinear absorption spectra for excitons exhibit asymmetric shapes with peak and dip structures, and provide a distinct contrast to the symmetric dip structures of conventional nonlinear spectra. Theoretical analyses with a density matrix method indicate that the nonlinear spectra are caused not by a simple coherent interaction between the exciton and biexciton states but by coupling effects among exciton, biexciton and continuum states. These results indicate that Fano quantum interference effects appear in exciton-biexciton systems at QDs and offer important insights into their physics.

We have investigated the possibility that the coherence length of spatially oscillating electron-spin polarization is improved in dilute magnetic semiconductors. In usual nonmagnetic quantum wells, the spin polarization of the electrons injected from a ferromagnetic source electrode oscillates spatially because of the spin precession due to spin-orbit effective magnetic fields, i.e., the Rashba and Dresselhaus fields. However, the polarization is damped within an oscillation period by the D’yakonov-Perel’ spin relaxation. In paramagnetic dilute magnetic semiconductors, impurity spin polarization is induced under the electron-spin polarization, and this impurity polarization influences the electron-spin precession and possibly improves the spatial electron-spin coherence. The validity of this effect is demonstrated by a numerical simulation for a CdMnTe quantum well.

Monolithic semiconductor mode-locked lasers (MLLs) are rising considerable interest for such diverse applications as very high speed optical time division multiplexing sources (40-160 GHz), all-optical signal processing, and low noise sampling for signal monitoring of optical networks. In a large number of these applications, MLLs may be subjected to optical feedback generated by unwanted reflections in optical systems which may greatly degrade laser performance. A number of experimental studies have been performed to evaluate the sensitivity of MLLs to optical feedback showing an increase of phase noise [1-5]. Quantum-dash (Qdash) based Fabry Perot lasers have been shown to exhibit an improved tolerance to feedback [6]. In this work, optical feedback tolerance is investigated for a monolithic quantum-dash-based passive mode-locked laser emitting at 1.58 μm. The two-section device generates ~5 ps pulses at a repetition rate of 17 GHz. The onset of the coherence collapse (CC) regime is experimentally determined by measuring the broadening of the longitudinal modes in the optical spectrum. Depending on bias condition, the CC regime is reached for values of feedback ranging from -35 dB to -29 dB at which emitted pulses were slighly broadened. The radio-frequency (RF) linewidth was simultaneously assessed and a drastic reduction of the RF linewidth with increasing feedback strength is evidenced. This indicates a reduction of the phase noise, thus implying a low "high frequency" timing jitter. We in particular observed an RF linewidth narrowing down to a value of less than 1 kHz under optical feedback.

High-resolution 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is generally inaccessible in red bone marrow (RBM) tissues using conventional MRS techniques. This is because signal from these tissues suffers from severe inhomogeneity in the main static B0 field originated from the intrinsic honeycomb structures in trabecular bone. One way to reduce effects of B0 field inhomogeneity is by using the intermolecular double quantumcoherence (iDQC) technique, which has been shown in other systems to obtain signals insensitive to B0 field inhomogeneity. In the present study, we employed an iDQC approach to enhance the spectral resolution of RBM. The feasibility and performance of this method for achieving high resolution MRS was verified by experiments on phantoms and pig vertebral bone samples. Unsaturated fatty acid peaks which overlap in the conventional MRS were well resolved and identified in the iDQC spectrum. Quantitative comparison of fractions of three types of fatty acids was performed between iDQC spectra on the in situ RMB and conventional MRS on the extracted fat from the same RBM. Observations of unsaturated fatty acids with iDQC MRS may provide valuable information and may hold potential in diagnosis of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and leukemia.

Passive decoy-state quantum key distribution is more desirable than the active one in some scenarios. It is also affected by the imperfections of the devices. In this paper, the influence of modulator attenuation on the passive decoy-state method is considered. We introduce and analyze the unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer, briefly, and combining with the virtual source and imaginary unitary transformation, we characterize the passive decoy-state method using a weak coherent photon source with modulator attenuation. According to the attenuation parameter δ, the pass efficiencies are given. Then, the key generation rate can be acquired. From numerical simulations, it can be seen that modulator attenuation has a nonnegligible influence on the performance of passive-state QKD protocol. Based on the research, the analysis method of virtual source and imaginary unitary transformation are preferred in analyzing passive decoy state protocol, and the passive decoy-state method is better than the active one and is close to the active vacuum + weak decoy state under the condition of having the same modulator attenuation. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11304397).

Measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD) can solve security loophole problems brought by imperfections of detectors and provide enhanced practical security compared to traditional QKD. We propose an active-passive-combined decoy state MDI-QKD protocol with heralded pair coherent state (HPCS) source. By calculating the lower bound of the single-photon counting rate and the upper bound of the single-photon error rate, we present formulas of the secure key rate in our protocol. Based on the linear lossy channel model, we present calculation methods of estimating the overall gain and quantum bit error rate for HPCS source with full phase randomization. We numerically compare secure key rates for different decoy MDI-QKD protocol with different sources. The result shows that the active-passive-combined decoy state MDI-QKD protocol with HPCS source has certain superiority in the secure key rate. It can provide an important theoretical reference for practical implementations of MDI-QKD.

Using a polaron master equation approach, we investigate the resonance fluorescence spectra from coherently driven quantum dots (QDs) coupled to an acoustic phonon bath and photonic crystal waveguides with a rich local density of photon states (LDOS). Resonance fluorescence spectra from QDs in semiconductor crystals are known to show strong signatures of electron-phonon interactions, but when coupled to a structured photonic reservoir, the QD emission properties are also determined by the frequency dependence of the LDOS of the photon reservoir. Here, we investigate the simultaneous role of coupled photon and phonon baths on the characteristic Mollow triplet spectra from a strongly driven QD. As an example structured photonic reservoir, we first study a photonic crystal coupled cavity waveguide, and find that photons and phonons have counterinteracting effects near the upper mode edge of the coupled-cavity waveguide, thus establishing the importance of their separate roles in determining the emission spectra. The general theory is developed for arbitrary photonic reservoirs and is further applied to determine the resonance fluorescence spectra from a realistic, disordered W1 photonic crystal waveguide showing important photon-phonon interaction effects that are directly relevant to emerging experiments and theoretical proposals.

We study large-alphabet quantum key distribution (QKD) based on the use of weak-coherent states and the time-frequency uncertainty relation. The large alphabet is achieved by dividing time and spectrum into M bins resulting in a frame similar to traditional pulse-position modulation (in time domain). However, the non-uniform occurrence of a photon prepared in a time/frequency bin creates the space for eavesdropping. By analysis, we show that a new intercept-resend attack strategy exists, which is stronger than that has been reported in the literature and hence the secret key rate of time-frequency QKD (TF-QKD) can be more tightly bounded. We then analyse the secret key rates of TF-QKD under various practical issues, such as channel loss, background noise, jitter and atmospheric turbulence in order to better understand the applicability of TF-QKD. Further, we discuss the information reconciliation for TF-QKD. Specifically, we investigate the layered coding scheme for TF-QKD based on quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check codes against jitter and atmospheric turbulence. By simulation, we demonstrate that information reconciliation can be efficiently achieved.

We study quantum teleportation between two different types of optical qubits using hybrid entanglement as a quantum channel under decoherence effects. One type of qubit employs the vacuum and single-photon states for the basis, called a single-rail single-photon qubit, and the other utilizes coherent states of opposite phases. We find that teleportation from a single-rail single-photon qubit to a coherent-state qubit is better than the opposite direction in terms of fidelity and success probability. We compare our results with those using a different type of hybrid entanglement between a polarized single-photon qubit and a coherent state.

This contribution discusses why we should consider developing artificial photosynthesis with the tandem approach followed by the Dutch BioSolar Cells consortium, a current operational paradigm for a global artificial photosynthesis project. We weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a tandem converter against other approaches, including biomass. Owing to the low density of solar energy per unit area, artificial photosynthetic systems must operate at high efficiency to minimize the land (or sea) area required. In particular, tandem converters are a much better option than biomass for densely populated countries and use two photons per electron extracted from water as the raw material into chemical conversion to hydrogen, or carbon-based fuel when CO2 is also used. For the average total light sum of 40 mol m−2 d−1 for The Netherlands, the upper limits are many tons of hydrogen or carbon-based fuel per hectare per year. A principal challenge is to forge materials for quantitative conversion of photons to chemical products within the physical limitation of an internal potential of ca 2.9 V. When going from electric charge in the tandem to hydrogen and back to electricity, only the energy equivalent to 1.23 V can be stored in the fuel and regained. A critical step is then to learn from nature how to use the remaining difference of ca 1.7 V effectively by triple use of one overpotential for preventing recombination, kinetic stabilization of catalytic intermediates and finally generating targeted heat for the release of oxygen. Probably the only way to achieve this is by using bioinspired responsive matrices that have quantum–classical pathways for a coherent conversion of photons to fuels, similar to what has been achieved by natural selection in evolution. In appendix A for the expert, we derive a propagator that describes how catalytic reactions can proceed coherently by a convergence of time scales of quantum electron dynamics and classical nuclear dynamics

We predict a generic signature of quantum interference in many-body bosonic systems resulting in a coherent enhancement of the average return probability in Fock space. This enhancement is robust with respect to variations of external parameters even though it represents a dynamical manifestation of the delicate superposition principle in Fock space. It is a genuine quantum many-body effect that lies beyond the reach of any mean-field approach. Using a semiclassical approach based on interfering paths in Fock space, we calculate the magnitude of the backscattering peak and its dependence on gauge fields that break time-reversal invariance. We confirm our predictions by comparing them to exact quantum evolution probabilities in Bose-Hubbard models, and discuss their relevance in the context of many-body thermalization. PMID:24765925

The full counting statistics of electron transport through two parallel quantum dots with antiparallel magnetic fluxes is investigated as a probe to detect the topological quantum-phase coherence (TQPC), which results in the characteristic oscillation of the zero-frequency cumulants including the shot noise and skewness. We show explicitly the phase transition of cumulant spectrum-patterns induced by the topology change of electron path-loops while the pattern period, which depends only on the topology (or Chern number), is robust against the variation of Coulomb interaction and interdot coupling strengths. Most importantly we report for the first time on a new type of TQPC, which is generated by the two-particle interaction and does not exist in the single-particle wave function interference. Moreover, the accurately quantized peaks of Fano-factor spectrum, which characterize the super- and sub-Poissonian shot noises, are of fundamental importance in technical applications similar to the superconducting quantum interference device.

Secret communication over public channels is one of the central pillars of a modern information society. Using quantum key distribution this is achieved without relying on the hardness of mathematical problems, which might be compromised by improved algorithms or by future quantum computers. State-of-the-art quantum key distribution requires composable security against coherent attacks for a finite number of distributed quantum states as well as robustness against implementation side channels. Here we present an implementation of continuous-variable quantum key distribution satisfying these requirements. Our implementation is based on the distribution of continuous-variable Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen entangled light. It is one-sided device independent, which means the security of the generated key is independent of any memoryfree attacks on the remote detector. Since continuous-variable encoding is compatible with conventional optical communication technology, our work is a step towards practical implementations of quantum key distribution with state-of-the-art security based solely on telecom components. PMID:26514280

Secret communication over public channels is one of the central pillars of a modern information society. Using quantum key distribution this is achieved without relying on the hardness of mathematical problems, which might be compromised by improved algorithms or by future quantum computers. State-of-the-art quantum key distribution requires composable security against coherent attacks for a finite number of distributed quantum states as well as robustness against implementation side channels. Here we present an implementation of continuous-variable quantum key distribution satisfying these requirements. Our implementation is based on the distribution of continuous-variable Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entangled light. It is one-sided device independent, which means the security of the generated key is independent of any memoryfree attacks on the remote detector. Since continuous-variable encoding is compatible with conventional optical communication technology, our work is a step towards practical implementations of quantum key distribution with state-of-the-art security based solely on telecom components. PMID:26514280

Secret communication over public channels is one of the central pillars of a modern information society. Using quantum key distribution this is achieved without relying on the hardness of mathematical problems, which might be compromised by improved algorithms or by future quantum computers. State-of-the-art quantum key distribution requires composable security against coherent attacks for a finite number of distributed quantum states as well as robustness against implementation side channels. Here we present an implementation of continuous-variable quantum key distribution satisfying these requirements. Our implementation is based on the distribution of continuous-variable Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entangled light. It is one-sided device independent, which means the security of the generated key is independent of any memoryfree attacks on the remote detector. Since continuous-variable encoding is compatible with conventional optical communication technology, our work is a step towards practical implementations of quantum key distribution with state-of-the-art security based solely on telecom components.

Quantumcoherence is a key element in topical research on quantum resource theories and a primary facilitator for design and implementation of quantum technologies. However, the resourcefulness of quantumcoherence is severely restricted by environmental noise, which is indicated by the loss of information in a quantum system, measured in terms of its purity. In this work, we derive the limits imposed by the mixedness of a quantum system on the amount of quantumcoherence that it can possess. We obtain an analytical trade-off between the two quantities that upperbound the maximum quantumcoherence for fixed mixedness in a system. This gives rise to a class of quantum states, "maximally coherent mixed states," whose coherence cannot be increased further under any purity-preserving operation. For the above class of states, quantumcoherence and mixedness satisfy a complementarity relation, which is crucial to understand the interplay between a resource and noise in open quantum systems.

In this work we exploit two-dimensional photon echo experiments (2DPE) to observe quantumcoherence dynamics in energy transfer in light-harvesting proteins isolated from marine cryptophyte algae. Previous data, recorded on two complexes (PC645 and PE545) at room temperature, revealed exceptionally long lasting oscillations with distinct correlations and anti-correlations even at ambient temperature. These observations provided compelling evidence for quantum-coherent sharing of electronic excitation across the 5-nm-wide proteins under biologically relevant conditions, suggesting that distant molecules within the photosynthetic proteins are 'wired' together by quantumcoherence for more efficient light-harvesting. In this work measurements performed on a different evolutionary related complex (PE555) at two excitation wavelengths are presented. The new results highlight different lifetimes for electronic coherences. Although preliminary, these evidences can be tentatively interpreted considering the difference in the protein structures.

Coherent systems offer significant advantages in simplicity, testability, control of systematics, and cost. Although quantum noise sets the fundamental limit to their performance at high frequencies, recent breakthroughs suggest that near-quantum-limited noise up to 150 or even 200 GHz could be realized within a few years. If the demands of component separation can be met with frequencies below 200 GHz, coherent systems will be strong competitors for a space CMB polarization mission. The rapid development of digital correlator capability now makes space interferometers with many hundreds of elements possible. Given the advantages of coherent interferometers in suppressing systematic effects, such systems deserve serious study.

Electron transport properties of nanoelectronics can be significantly influenced by the inevitable and randomly distributed impurities/defects. For theoretical simulation of disordered nanoscale electronics, one is interested in both the configurationally averaged transport property and its statistical fluctuation that tells device-to-device variability induced by disorder. However, due to the lack of an effective method to do disorder averaging under the nonequilibrium condition, the important effects of disorders on electron transport remain largely unexplored or poorly understood. In this work, we report a general formalism of Green's function based nonequilibrium effective medium theory to calculate the disordered nanoelectronics. In this method, based on a generalized coherent potential approximation for the Keldysh nonequilibrium Green's function, we developed a generalized nonequilibrium vertex correction method to calculate the average of a two-Keldysh-Green's-function correlator. We obtain nine nonequilibrium vertex correction terms, as a complete family, to express the average of any two-Green's-function correlator and find they can be solved by a set of linear equations. As an important result, the averaged nonequilibrium density matrix, averaged current, disorder-induced current fluctuation, and averaged shot noise, which involve different two-Green's-function correlators, can all be derived and computed in an effective and unified way. To test the general applicability of this method, we applied it to compute the transmission coefficient and its fluctuation with a square-lattice tight-binding model and compared with the exact results and other previously proposed approximations. Our results show very good agreement with the exact results for a wide range of disorder concentrations and energies. In addition, to incorporate with density functional theory to realize first-principles quantum transport simulation, we have also derived a general form of

My academic ancestors in physics have called on me once more to tell you about the apparatus that they devised, and that many of you have used in your demonstrations and labs. This article is about apparatus named after François Arago, Heinrich Helmholtz, Leon Foucault, and James Watt.

My academic ancestors in physics have called on me once more to tell you about the apparatus that they devised, and that many of you have used in your demonstrations and labs. This article is about apparatus named after François Arago, Heinrich Helmholtz, Leon Foucault, and James Watt.

Losing a job is an awfully low point--until it turns into the opportunity to pursue writing full time, and a book like "The Five Ancestors: Tiger" results. Jeff Stone looks back to his own experience as a young reader and taps that experience to help frame his own writing. An intriguing snapshot of his new book follows.

The quantum wave packet dynamics following a coherent electronic excitation of LiH by an ultrashort, polarized, strong one-cycle infrared optical pulse is computed on several electronic states using a grid method. The coupling to the strong field of the pump and the probe pulses is included in the Hamiltonian used to solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. The polarization of the pump pulse allows us to control the localization in time and in space of the nonequilibrium coherent electronic motion and the subsequent nuclear dynamics. We show that transient absorption, resulting from the interaction of the total molecular dipole with the electric fields of the pump and the probe, is a very versatile probe of the different time scales of the vibronic dynamics. It allows probing both the ultrashort, femtosecond time scale of the electronic coherences as well as the longer dozens of femtoseconds time scales of the nuclear motion on the excited electronic states. The ultrafast beatings of the electronic coherences in space and in time are shown to be modulated by the different periods of the nuclear motion. PMID:26928262

In realistic nanoelectronics, disordered impurities/defects are inevitable and play important roles in electron transport. However, due to the lack of effective quantum transport method, the important effects of disorders remain poorly understood. Here, we report a generalized non-equilibrium vertex correction (NVC) method with coherent potential approximation to treat the disorder effects in quantum transport simulation. With this generalized NVC method, any averaged product of two single-particle Green's functions can be obtained by solving a set of simple linear equations. As a result, the averaged non-equilibrium density matrix and various important transport properties, including averaged current, disordered induced current fluctuation and the averaged shot noise, can all be efficiently computed in a unified scheme. Moreover, a generalized form of conditionally averaged non-equilibrium Green's function is derived to incorporate with density functional theory to enable first-principles simulation. We prove the non-equilibrium coherent potential equals the non-equilibrium vertex correction. Our approach provides a unified, efficient and self-consistent method for simulating non-equilibrium quantum transport through disorder nanoelectronics. Shanghaitech start-up fund.

We demonstrate the first 40 Gbit/s single-channel polarization-multiplexed, 5 Gsymbol/s, 16 QAM quantum noise stream cipher (QNSC) transmission over 480 km by incorporating ASE quantum noise from EDFAs as well as the quantum shot noise of the coherent state with multiple photons for the random masking of data. By using a multi-bit encoded scheme and digital coherent transmission techniques, secure optical communication with a record data capacity and transmission distance has been successfully realized. In this system, the signal level received by Eve is hidden by both the amplitude and the phase noise. The highest number of masked signals, 7.5 x 10(4), was achieved by using a QAM scheme with FEC, which makes it possible to reduce the output power from the transmitter while maintaining an error free condition for Bob. We have newly measured the noise distribution around I and Q encrypted data and shown experimentally with a data size of as large as 2(25) that the noise has a Gaussian distribution with no correlations. This distribution is suitable for the random masking of data. PMID:26832295

The problem of quantum key distribution security in channels with large losses is still open. Quasi-single-photon sources of quantum states with losses in the quantum communication channel open up the possibility of attacking with unambiguous state discrimination (USD) measurements, resulting in a loss of privacy. In this letter, the problem is solved by counting the classic reference pulses. Conservation of the number of counts of intense coherent pulses makes it impossible to conduct USD measurements. Moreover, the losses in the communication channel are considered to be unknown in advance and are subject to change throughout the series parcels. Unlike other protocols, differential phase shift (Inoue et al 2002 Phys. Rev. Lett. 89 037902, Inoue et al 2003 Phys. Rev. A 68 022317, Takesue et al 2007 Nat. Photon. 1 343, Wen et al 2009 Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 170503) and coherent one way (Stucki et al 2005 Appl. Phys. Lett. 87 194108, Branciard et al 2005 Appl. Phys. Lett. 87 194108, Branciard et al 2008 New J. Phys. 10 013031, Stucki et al 2008 Opt. Express 17 13326), the simplicity of the protocol makes it possible to carry out a complete analysis of its security.

Using second-order differential operators as a realization of the su(1,1) Lie algebra by the associated Laguerre functions, it is shown that the quantum states of the Calogero-Sutherland, half-oscillator and radial part of a 3D harmonic oscillator constitute the unitary representations for the same algebra. This su(1,1) Lie algebra symmetry leads to derivation of the Barut-Girardello and Klauder-Perelomov coherent states for those models. The explicit compact forms of these coherent states are calculated. Also, to realize the resolution of the identity, their corresponding positive definite measures on the complex plane are obtained in terms of the known functions.

We report the determination of the intrinsic spin-orbit interaction (SOI) parameters and phase coherence times for In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As quantum wells (QWs) from the analysis of the weak antilocalization (WAL) measurements at dilution temperatures. We find that the Dresselhaus SOI is mostly negligible in this system and that the intrinsic parameters for the Rashba effect, aSO≡α/ is determined quantitatively to be aSOm*/me = (1.46-1.51×10-17NS[m-2])eÅ2, where NS is the sheet carrier density. We also provide the values of the phase coherent time τφ extracted from the WAL analysis and the transport mobility μ obtained from the Hall and Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) measurements.

Terahertz optical gain due to intersubband transitions in optically-pumped semiconductor quantum wells (QW's) is calculated nonperturbatively. We solve the pump- field-induced nonequilibrium distribution function for each subband of the QW system from a set of rate equations that include both intrasubband and intersubband relaxation processes. The gain arising from population inversion and stimulated Raman processes is calculated in a unified manner. We show that the coherent pump and signal wave interactions contribute significantly to the THz gain. Because of the optical Stark effect and pump-induced population redistribution, optical gain saturation at larger pump intensities is predicted.

In this paper we present limitations imposed by sequential attacks on the maximal distance achievable by a differential-phase-shift (DPS) quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol with weak coherent pulses. Specifically, we compare the performance of two possible sequential attacks against DPS QKD where Eve realizes, respectively, optimal unambiguous state discrimination of Alice's signal states, and optimal unambiguous discrimination of the relative phases between consecutive signal states. We show that the second eavesdropping strategy provides tighter upper bounds for the security of a DPS QKD scheme than the former one.

Nonlinear, or multiphoton, interaction of intense laser radiation with matter has been a key research subject for about four decades. Every three years, the International Conference on Multiphoton Processes (ICOMP) covers the latest advances in the field. Intense-field physics has seen phenomenal progress over the last decade. What looked like dreams in the mid-nineties have become routine today. Major theoretical, experimental and technological advances in fundamental science and applications of multiphoton processes cover such diverse areas as precision measurements, femtosecond and now attosecond metrology, quantum control of atomic and molecular dynamics, laser machining of solid state materials, laser acceleration of electrons and protons, and medical applications. This special issue of Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (J. Phys. B) contains a collection of articles originating from the Tenth International Conference on Multiphoton Processes (ICOMP 2005) held on 9-14 October 2005 in Orford, Quebec, Canada (general chair Lou DiMauro, Ohio State University, program co-chairs Paul Corkum and Misha Ivanov, National Research Council of Canada). The conference focused on atoms and molecules in strong fields, femtosecond and attosecond processes, propagation of intense pulses, and of course multiphoton processes which lie at the foundation of all these subjects. Articles presented in this issue cover several key areas of intense-field physics. These include strong field ionization of atoms, molecules and inside transparent dielectric materials, methods of generation and characterization of attosecond XUV pulses and pulse trains, and new approaches to using intense laser fields and/or attosecond pulses for studying entangled systems and imaging electronic and nuclear dynamics with sub-Ångstrom spatial and sub-femtosecond temporal resolution. We have tried to group the papers according to these general areas. We would like to use this

We investigated the spin coherence of high-mobility two-dimensional electron gases confined in multilayer GaAs quantum wells. The dynamics of the spin polarization was optically studied using pump-probe techniques: time-resolved Kerr rotation and resonant spin amplification. For double and triple quantum wells doped beyond the metal-to-insulator transition, the spin-orbit interaction was tailored by the sample parameters of structural symmetry (Rashba constant), width, and electron density (Dresselhaus linear and cubic constants) which allow us to attain long dephasing times in the nanoseconds range. The determination of the scales, namely, transport scattering time, single-electron scattering time, electron-electron scattering time, and spin polarization decay time further supports the possibility of using n-doped multilayer systems for developing spintronic devices.

We demonstrate coherent driving of a single electron spin using second-harmonic excitation in a Si/SiGe quantum dot. Our estimates suggest that the anharmonic dot confining potential combined with a gradient in the transverse magnetic field dominates the second-harmonic response. As expected, the Rabi frequency depends quadratically on the driving amplitude, and the periodicity with respect to the phase of the drive is twice that of the fundamental harmonic. The maximum Rabi frequency observed for the second harmonic is just a factor of 2 lower than that achieved for the first harmonic when driving at the same power. Combined with the lower demands on microwave circuitry when operating at half the qubit frequency, these observations indicate that second-harmonic driving can be a useful technique for future quantum computation architectures. PMID:26382693

The effect of long-distance coherent tunneling (LDCT) on the charge and heat currents in serially coupled triple quantum dots (TQDs) connected to electrodes is illustrated by using a combination of the extended Hurbbard and Anderson models. The charge and heat currents are calculated with a closed-form Landauer expression for the transmission coefficient suitable for the Coulomb blockade regime. The physical parameters including bias-dependent quantum dot energy levels, electron Coulomb interactions, and electron hopping strengths are calculated in the framework of effective mass theory for semiconductor TQDs. We demonstrate that the effect of LDCT on the charge and heat currents can be robust. In addition, it is shown that prominent heat rectification behavior can exist in the TQD system with asymmetrical energy levels.

We analyze electronically excited nuclear wave functions and their coherence when subjecting a molecule to the action of natural, pulsed incoherent solar-like light and to that of ultrashort coherent light assumed to have the same center frequencies and spectral bandwidths. Specifically, we compute the spatiotemporal dependence of the excited wave packets and their electronic coherence for these two types of light sources, on different electronic potential energy surfaces. The resultant excited state wave functions are shown to be dramatically different, reflecting the light source from which they originated. In addition, electronic coherence is found to decay significantly faster for incoherent light than for coherent ultrafast excitation, for both continuum and bound wave packets. These results confirm that the dynamics observed from ultrashort coherent excitation does not reflect what happens in processes induced by solar-like radiation, and conclusions drawn from one do not, in general, apply to the other. These results provide further support to the view that the dynamics observed in studies using ultrashort coherent pulses can be significantly different than those that would result from excitation with natural incoherent light. PMID:23879891

Spin-photon interactions such as the Faraday effect provide techniques for measuring coherent spin dynamics in semiconductors. In contrast to typical ultrafast pulsed laser techniques, which measure spin dynamics in the time domain with an intense, spectrally broad probe pulse, we demonstrate a frequency-domain spin-photon resonance effect using modulated continuous-wave lasers which enables measurement of GHz-scale coherent spin dynamics in semiconductors with minimal spectral linewidth. This technique permits high-resolution spectroscopic measurements not possible with ultrafast methods. We have employed this effect to observe coherent spin dynamics in CdSe nanocrystals using standard diode lasers. By fitting the results to the expected model, we extract electron g-factors, and spin coherence and dephasing times in agreement with time-domain measurements. PMID:23037054

A methodology to calculate generalized coherent states for a periodically driven system is presented. We study wave packets constructed as a linear combination of suitable Floquet states of the three-dimensional Rydberg atom in a microwave field. The driven coherent states show classical space localization, spreading, and revivals and remain localized along the classical trajectory. The microwave strength and frequency have a great effect in the localization of Floquet states, since quasienergy avoided crossings produce delocalization of the Floquet states, showing that tuning of the parameters is very important. Using wavelet-based time-frequency analysis, the classical phase-space structure is determined, which allows us to show that the driven coherent state is located in a large regular region in which the z coordinate is in resonance with the external field. The expectation values of the wave packet show that the driven coherent state evolves along the classical trajectory.

A methodology to calculate generalized coherent states for a periodically driven system is presented. We study wave packets constructed as a linear combination of suitable Floquet states of the three-dimensional Rydberg atom in a microwave field. The driven coherent states show classical space localization, spreading, and revivals and remain localized along the classical trajectory. The microwave strength and frequency have a great effect in the localization of Floquet states, since quasienergy avoided crossings produce delocalization of the Floquet states, showing that tuning of the parameters is very important. Using wavelet-based time-frequency analysis, the classical phase-space structure is determined, which allows us to show that the driven coherent state is located in a large regular region in which the z coordinate is in resonance with the external field. The expectation values of the wave packet show that the driven coherent state evolves along the classical trajectory.

In classical superconductors an energy gap and phase coherence appear simultaneously with pairing at the transition to the superconducting state. In high-temperature superconductors, the possibility that pairing and phase coherence are distinct and independent processes has led to intense experimental search of their separate manifestations. Using femtosecond spectroscopy methods we now show that it is possible to clearly separate fluctuation dynamics of the superconducting pairing amplitude from the phase relaxation above the critical transition temperature. Empirically establishing a close correspondence between the superfluid density measured by THz spectroscopy and superconducting optical pump-probe response over a wide region of temperature, we find that in differently doped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ crystals the pairing gap amplitude monotonically extends well beyond Tc, while the phase coherence shows a pronounced power-law divergence as T → Tc, thus showing that phase coherence and gap formation are distinct processes which occur on different timescales. PMID:25014162

A pulse sequence, IDEAL-II, is proposed based on the concept of intermolecular dipolar-interaction enhanced all lines [Z. Chen et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 446 (2004)] for obtaining one-dimensional (1D) high-resolution liquid NMR spectra in inhomogeneous fields via two-dimensional acquisitions. With the new acquisition scheme, the range of magnetic field inhomogeneity rather than chemical shift is sampled in the indirect dimension. This enables a great reduction in acquisition time and amount of data, much improved over the original IDEAL implementation. It is applicable to both isolated and J-coupled spin systems in liquid. For the latter, apparent J coupling constants are magnified threefold in spectra obtained with this sequence. This allows a more accurate measurement of J coupling constants in the cases of small J coupling constants or large inhomogeneous fields. Analytical expression was derived based on intermolecular multiple-quantumcoherence treatments. Solution samples that were purposely deshimmed and biological samples with intrinsic field inhomogeneities were tested. Experimental results demonstrate that this sequence retains useful structural information including chemical shifts, relative peak areas, and multiplet patterns of J coupling even when the field inhomogeneity is severe enough to almost erase all spectroscopic information with conventional 1D single-quantumcoherence techniques. This sequence is more applicable to weakly coupled and uncoupled spin systems, potentially useful for studying metabolites in in vivo NMR spectroscopy and for characterizing technologically important new materials in combinatorial chemistry. PMID:19256612

Laser pump-probe schemes are explored numerically from a molecular time-dependent Schrödinger equation for monitoring attosecond electron motion by high-order-harmonic generation (HHG) from a coherent superposition of electronic states. Varying the time delay between the probe and pump pulse on an attosecond time scale alters the HHG signal, leading to universal interference patterns. By using an extended three-step recollision model, we show that various regular interference patterns in the HHG spectra, including continuous harmonic frequency redshifts as a function of pump-probe delay, are related to interference between specific pairs of short or long quantum orbits. For small excited-state population (regime A), interferences are controlled by electron-tunneling times, whereas for equal populations (regime B), recollision time control dominates thus allowing for control of the HHG process by the pump-probe delay time and by electron-state populations. We show that each specific pattern is closely related to the interference between pairs of specific (short or long) quantum orbits originating from a specific electron bound state. One can generate a specific pattern by varying the populations in the coherent superposition, the laser intensity, wavelength, and ionization potential of the electronic states.

We study the effect of an imaginary potential and (separately) of a finite coherence length on the transmission, reflection, and capture fractions for a thermal distribution of carriers incident on a single quantum well. The formalism used is closely related to one used by Kuhn and Mahler for the same purpose. Closed-form expressions are obtained for the three transport fractions resulting from a single incident beam. Three independent fitting parameters are used in this formalism, namely, the size of the imaginary potential, the extent it penetrates into the barriers adjacent to the well, and the phase-coherence length. This last is a length scale associated with a correlation function that appears when the phase of the wave function is treated as a stochastic variable. We show that the parameters can be chosen so that the transport fractions agree with those calculated from first principles, and show how a shortening of the coherence length, e.g., by electron-electron interactions that have been left out of the first-principles calculation, destroys the resonant behavior of these fractions predicted by Brum and Bastard [Phys. Rev. B 33, 1420 (1986)].

Singlet excitons in π-stacked molecular crystals can split into two triplet excitons in a process called singlet fission that opens a route to carrier multiplication in photovoltaics. To resolve controversies about the mechanism of singlet fission, we have developed a first principles nonadiabatic quantum dynamical model that reveals the critical role of molecular stacking symmetry and provides a unified picture of coherent versus thermally activated singlet fission mechanisms in different acenes. The slip-stacked equilibrium packing structure of pentacene derivatives is found to enhance ultrafast singlet fission mediated by a coherent superexchange mechanism via higher-lying charge transfer states. By contrast, the electronic couplings for singlet fission strictly vanish at the C(2h) symmetric equilibrium π stacking of rubrene. In this case, singlet fission is driven by excitations of symmetry-breaking intermolecular vibrations, rationalizing the experimentally observed temperature dependence. Design rules for optimal singlet fission materials therefore need to account for the interplay of molecular π-stacking symmetry and phonon-induced coherent or thermally activated mechanisms. PMID:26382701

Singlet excitons in π -stacked molecular crystals can split into two triplet excitons in a process called singlet fission that opens a route to carrier multiplication in photovoltaics. To resolve controversies about the mechanism of singlet fission, we have developed a first principles nonadiabatic quantum dynamical model that reveals the critical role of molecular stacking symmetry and provides a unified picture of coherent versus thermally activated singlet fission mechanisms in different acenes. The slip-stacked equilibrium packing structure of pentacene derivatives is found to enhance ultrafast singlet fission mediated by a coherent superexchange mechanism via higher-lying charge transfer states. By contrast, the electronic couplings for singlet fission strictly vanish at the C2 h symmetric equilibrium π stacking of rubrene. In this case, singlet fission is driven by excitations of symmetry-breaking intermolecular vibrations, rationalizing the experimentally observed temperature dependence. Design rules for optimal singlet fission materials therefore need to account for the interplay of molecular π -stacking symmetry and phonon-induced coherent or thermally activated mechanisms.

The phase of a single quantum state is undefined unless the history of its creation provides a reference point. Thus, quantum interference may seem hardly relevant for the design of deterministic single-electron sources which strive to isolate individual charge carriers quickly and completely. We provide a counterexample by analyzing the nonadiabatic separation of a localized quantum state from a Fermi sea due to a closing tunnel barrier. We identify the relevant energy scales and suggest ways to separate the contributions of quantum nonadiabatic excitation and back tunneling to the rare noncapture events. In the optimal regime of balanced decay and nonadiabaticity, our simple electron trap turns into a single-lead Landau-Zener back tunneling interferometer, revealing the dynamical phase accumulated between the particle capture and leakage. The predicted "quantum beats in back tunneling" may turn the error of a single-electron source into a valuable signal revealing essentially nonadiabatic energy scales of a dynamic quantum dot. PMID:23215606

The timing and geographic origin of the common ancestor of modern humans and Neandertals remain controversial. A poor Pleistocene hominin fossil record and the evolutionary complexities introduced by dispersals and regionalisation of lineages have fuelled taxonomic uncertainty, while new ancient genomic data have raised completely new questions. Here, we use maximum likelihood and 3D geometric morphometric methods to predict possible morphologies of the last common ancestor of modern humans and Neandertals from a simplified, fully resolved phylogeny. We describe the fully rendered 3D shapes of the predicted ancestors of humans and Neandertals, and assess their similarity to individual fossils or populations of fossils of Pleistocene age. Our results support models of an Afro-European ancestral population in the Middle Pleistocene (Homo heidelbergensis sensu lato) and further predict an African origin for this ancestral population. PMID:26852813

The intensity dependent diffraction efficiency of a phase coherent photorefractive (PCP) ZnSe quantum well (QW) is investigated at 80 K in a two-beam four-wave mixing (FWM) configuration using 100 fs laser pulses with a repetition rate of 80 MHz. The observed diffraction efficiencies of the first and second-order diffracted beam are on the order of 10-3 and 10-5, respectively, revealing nearly no intensity dependence. The first-order diffraction is caused by the PCP effect where the probe-pulse is diffracted due to a long-living incoherent electron density grating in the QW. The second-order diffraction is created by a combination of diffraction processes. For negative probe-pulse delay, the exciton polarization is diffracted at the electron grating twice by a cascade effect. For positive delay, the diffracted signal is modified by the destructive interference with a chi(5) generated signal due to a dynamical screening effect. Model calculations of the signal traces based on the optical Bloch equations considering inhomogeneous broadening of exciton energies are in good agreement with the experimental data. To study the carrier dynamics responsible for the occurrence of the PCP effect, threebeam FWM experiments are carried out. The non-collinear wave-vectors k1 , k2 and k3 at central wavelength of 441 nm (~2.81 eV) were resonantly tuned to the heavy-hole exciton transition energy at 20 K. In the FWM experiment the time coincident strong pump pulses k1 and k2 create both an exciton density grating in the QW and an electron-hole pair grating in the GaAs while the delayed weak pulse k3 simultaneously probes the exciton lifetime as well as the electron grating capture time. The model calculations are in good agreement with the experimental results also providing information about the transfer delay of electrons arriving from the substrate to the QW. For negative probe-pulse delay we still observe a diffracted signal due to the long living electron density grating in

Long-lived quantum memories are essential components of a long-standing goal of remote distribution of entanglement in quantum networks. These can be realized by storing the quantum states of light as single-spin excitations in atomic ensembles. However, spin states are often subjected to different dephasing processes that limit the storage time, which in principle could be overcome using spin-echo techniques. Theoretical studies suggest this to be challenging due to unavoidable spontaneous emission noise in ensemble-based quantum memories. Here, we demonstrate spin-echo manipulation of a mean spin excitation of 1 in a large solid-state ensemble, generated through storage of a weak optical pulse. After a storage time of about 1 ms we optically read-out the spin excitation with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Our results pave the way for long-duration optical quantum storage using spin-echo techniques for any ensemble-based memory.

Using a quantum fluid model, the linear dispersion relation for FEL pumped by a short wavelength laser wiggler is deduced. Subsequently, a new quantum corrected resonance condition is obtained. It is shown that, in the limit of low energy electron beam and low frequency pump, the quantum recoil effect can be neglected, recovering the classical FEL resonance condition, k{sub s}=4k{sub w}γ{sup 2}. On the other hand, for short wavelength and high energy electron beam, the quantum recoil effect becomes strong and the resonance condition turns into k{sub s}=2√(k{sub w}/λ{sub c})γ{sup 3/2}, with λ{sub c} being the reduced Compton wavelength. As a result, a set of nonlinear coupled equations, which describes the quantum FEL dynamics as a three-wave interaction, is obtained. Neglecting wave propagation effects, this set of equations is solved numerically and results are presented.

This article, as the first of three, aims at establishing the (time-dependent) Born-Oppenheimer approximation, in the sense of space adiabatic perturbation theory, for quantum systems constructed by techniques of the loop quantum gravity framework, especially the canonical formulation of the latter. The analysis presented here fits into a rather general framework and offers a solution to the problem of applying the usual Born-Oppenheimer ansatz for molecular (or structurally analogous) systems to more general quantum systems (e.g., spin-orbit models) by means of space adiabatic perturbation theory. The proposed solution is applied to a simple, finite dimensional model of interacting spin systems, which serves as a non-trivial, minimal model of the aforesaid problem. Furthermore, it is explained how the content of this article and its companion affect the possible extraction of quantum field theory on curved spacetime from loop quantum gravity (including matter fields).

Non-classical polarization properties of dark hollow beams propagating through non-Kolmogorov turbulence are studied. The analytic equation for the polarization degree of the quantization partially coherent dark hollow beams is obtained. It is found that the polarization fluctuations of the quantization partially coherent dark hollow beams are dependent on the turbulence factors and beam parameters with the detection photon numbers. Furthermore, an investigation of the changes in the on-axis propagation point and off-axis propagation point shows that the polarization degree of the quantization partially coherent dark hollow beams presents oscillation for a short propagation distance and gradually returns to zero for a sufficiently long distance. Project supported by the Major Research Plan of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61405205).

The concept of coherence switches with nanoparticle platonic networks is introduced and analysed. The platonic networks store an initially injected excitation for extremely long durations via the formation of dark states. Switching is achieved by the nano-mechanical arrangements of one site or some part of the network to remove the trapping thus leading to a highly efficient transfer to the target which is irreversibly connected to one site. We present coherence switches based on controlling a cubic network both in the absence and presence of environment and manufacturing/topological noise.

Based on the equation for the second-order coherence function, the propagation of partially coherent radiation is studied under the combined action of diffraction and refraction caused by the inhomogeneous distribution of the real and imaginary parts of the perturbation of the permittivity of a medium in the case of inhomogeneous absorption (amplification). The limits of application of the method of geometrical optics for inhomogeneously absorbing (amplifying) media are studied, as well as of the methods that neglect refraction caused by the inhomogeneous distribution of the imaginary part of the permittivity of the medium.

The measured stationary and time-resolved photoluminescence is used to study the properties of the exciton gas in a second-order 5-nm-thick Si{sub 0.905}Ge{sub 0.095}/Si quantum well. It is shown that, despite the presence of an electron barrier in the Si{sub 0.905}Ge{sub 0.095} layer, a spatially indirect biexciton is the most favorable energy state of the electron–hole system at low temperatures. This biexciton is characterized by a lifetime of 1100 ns and a binding energy of 2.0–2.5 meV and consists of two holes localized in the SiGe layer and two electrons mainly localized in silicon. The formation of biexcitons is shown to cause low-temperature (5 K) luminescence spectra over a wide excitation density range and to suppress the formation of an exciton gas, in which quantum statistics effects are significant. The Bose statistics can only be experimentally observed for a biexciton gas at a temperature of 1 K or below because of the high degree of degeneracy of biexciton states (28) and a comparatively large effective mass (about 1.3m{sub e}). The heat energy at such temperatures is much lower than the measured energy of localization at potential fluctuations (about 1 meV). This feature leads to biexciton localization and fundamentally limits the possibility of observation of quantumcoherence in the biexciton gas.

Coherent control of observables using the phase properties of weak light that induces one-photon transitions is considered. Measurable properties are shown to be categorizable as either class A, where control is not possible, or class B, where control is possible. Using formal arguments, we show that phase control in open systems can be environmentally assisted.

Starting from the von Neumann-Maxwell equations for the Wigner quasi-probability distribution and for the self-consistent electric field, the quantum analog of the classical single-wave model has been derived. The linear stability of the quantum single-wave model has been studied, and periodic in time patterns have been found both analytically and numerically. In addition, some features of quantum chaos have been detected in the unstable region in parameter space. Further, a class of standing-wave solutions of the quantum single-wave model has also been found, which have been observed to behave as stable solitary-wave structures. The analytical results have been finally compared to the exact system dynamics obtained by solving the corresponding equations in Schrodinger representation numerically.

Unsharp measurements allow the estimation and tracking of quantum wave functions in real time with minimal disruption of the dynamics. Here we demonstrate that high-fidelity state monitoring, and hence quantum control, is possible, even in the presence of classical dephasing and amplitude noise, by simulating such measurements on a two-level system undergoing Rabi oscillations. Finite estimation fidelity is found to persist indefinitely after the decoherence times set by the noise fields in the absence of measurement.

Double quantumcoherence (DQC) ESR is a sensitive method to measure magnetic dipolar interactions between spin labels. However, the DQC experiment on Cu2+ centers presents a challenge at X-band. The Cu2+ centers are usually coordinated to histidine residues in proteins. The electron-nuclear interaction between the Cu2+ ion and the remote nitrogen in the imidazole ring can interfere with the electron-electron dipolar interaction. Herein, we report on a modified DQC experiment that has the advantage of reduced contributions from electron-nuclear interactions, which enhances the resolution of the DQC signal to the electron-electron dipolar modulations. The modified pulse-sequence is verified on Cu2+-NO system in a polyalanine-based peptide and on a coupled Cu2+ system in a polyproline-based peptide. The modified DQC data were compared with the DEER data and good agreement was found.

We calculate the nonsymmetrized current noise in a quantum dot connected to two reservoirs by using the nonequilibrium Green function technique. We show that both the current autocorrelator (inside a single reservoir) and the current cross-correlator (between the two reservoirs) are expressed in terms of transmission amplitude and coefficient through the barriers. We identify the different energy-transfer processes involved in each contribution to the autocorrelator, and we highlight the fact that when there are several physical processes, the contribution results from a coherent superposition of scattering paths. Varying the gate and bias voltages, we discuss the profile of the differential Fano factor in light of recent experiments, and we identify the conditions for having a distinct value for the autocorrelator in the left and right reservoirs.

In this paper, we analyze theoretically the optical steady behavior in GaAs quantum well structure which interacts with a single elliptically polarized field (EPF) and a π-polarized probe field. Due to the existence of the robust nonradiative coherence, we demonstrate that the controllable optical steady behavior including multi-stability (OM) and optical bistability (OB) can be obtained. More interestingly, our numerical results also illustrate that tuning the phase difference between two components of polarized electric field of the EPF can realize the conversion between OB and OM. Our results illustrate the potential to utilize the optical phase for developing the new all-optical switching devices, as well as a guidance in the design for possible experimental implementations.

We investigate the quantum phase fluctuations of input coherent light involving two quartic anharmonic oscillators coupled through a linear one. The analytical expressions for various phase fluctuation parameters due to Carruthers and Nieto are expressed as functions of coupling constant, anharmonic constant, initial excitation numbers, and the initial phase of the input coherent field. By using some numerical estimates of the analytical expressions, the effects of anharmonic and coupling constants are clearly indicated. In one of the two anharmonic modes (say mode a1), it is found that the presence of coupling causes the reduction of phase fluctuation parameters U1, and S1, compared to their counterparts at t=0. In sharp contrast to these results, the increase and the decrease (at least in the axis range of kt) of the phase fluctuation parameters U1, S1 and Q1 compared to their initial value counterpart are attributed by the strong field and hence the nonlinearity. We establish that the signature of anharmonicity (β ≠ 0) is realized only for intense field situations. It corroborates the fact that the nonlinearity of the medium is invoked only if the field strength is quite strong. Interestingly, for significantly strong field situation, the reduction of the phase fluctuation parameters compared to their initial values is exhibited for the harmonic mode. These reductions are attributed partly by the strong field and partly by the coupling between the oscillators. In spite of the modes corresponding to two anharmonic oscillators which are in vacuum, we report the generation of excitation for nonzero coupling constant with β=0. It may be attributed by the quantum state transfer through the chain of harmonic oscillators.

Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in a GaAs heterostructure generate dynamic quantum dots, each capable of carrying a single electron through a gated potential landscape. At the SAW velocity ( 2800 m/s), the change in potential due to a 100nm surface gate will occur in a period of 40ps in the rest frame of the dot. This high-speed modulation of the potential, far beyond the experimental limit of fast gate-switching, allows for the observation of coherent single-electron dynamics. Previous work has shown that an abrupt shift in dot confinement will cause an electron to oscillate unitarily from side to side. This excitation was measured non-invasively via a tunnel barrier, and good agreement was found between measurements and simulations of the dot dynamics. We present here the results of further work in which we examine the coherence length and phase-dependence of the single-electron oscillations. Through the use of a time-dependent model we also study surface-gate arrangements which may be used to manipulate the electron dynamics mid-stream.

The quantification of quantumcoherence has attracted a growing attention, and based on various physical contexts, several coherence measures have been put forward. An interesting question is whether these coherence measures give the same ordering when they are used to quantify the coherence of quantum states. In this paper, we consider the two well-known coherence measures, the l_1 norm of coherence and the relative entropy of coherence, to show that there are the states for which the two measures give a different ordering. Our analysis can be extended to other coherence measures, and as an illustration of the extension we further consider the formation of coherence to show that the l_1 norm of coherence and the formation of coherence, as well as the relative entropy of coherence and the coherence of formation, do not give the same ordering too.